As You Can See, the Protagonist (2)
The initial task assigned to Delis Bloomfeld was simple: leave a vivid trail so that the master of her soul could precisely target the enemy in the deep darkness. The opportunity arrived quickly.
“Over here! It is clearly an enemy attack! Take my hand!” shouted Benjamin Ashford, reaching out.
Whether he was trying to project a strong masculine image in a moment like this or what, she couldn't care less. If it weren't for the mission, she would never have held his hand. If there was one saving grace, it was that she was wearing long opera gloves, so their bare skin did not touch.
Regardless, physical contact was now established, allowing her to light the beacon of his existence. Delis gathered her focus and activated her magic. It wasn't an offensive spell, but a standard defensive barrier. However, its range was large enough to cover not just herself, but her direct superior as well.
This was the true meaning of requiring physical contact.
The reason Delis didn't attack Benjamin Ashford directly with magic at point-blank range was simple.
‘Because I stand no chance...!’
In truth, Deep Path Wizards were notoriously difficult to eliminate with a surprise attack. If a wizard's sensory reflexes were sharp enough to read magical malice targeting their soul—almost like a sixth sense—they could deploy high-level defense barriers within milliseconds, anytime, anywhere. If they deployed a brute-forced, incredibly durable defense barrier, even a wizard from the future who knew the security vulnerabilities of standard barriers at a glance would find it difficult to break through instantly.
Thus, Delis Bloomfeld had been tasked with creating an opening. If Delis deployed her own defense barrier first, the High-Value Target's subconscious vigilance would naturally waver. In a manner of speaking, it was like shoving the defender behind a solid concrete wall. While they firmly believed they were safe, in reality, it was a lone piece of cover sticking out in the middle of a wide-open field.
Benjamin Ashford made his own assumptions.
“I see...! Since we do not know where the enemy will strike, you are deploying an all-directional defense barrier! Truly a wise decision, as expected of you...!”
On the other hand, Delis thought:
‘What a load of bullshit.’
In a frantic situation, it is difficult to judge whether a defensive barrier is fully functional. Even more so if it was deployed by another wizard. Thus, the defensive barrier Delis activated appeared to provide all-around protection, but in truth, a tiny hole had been left in exactly one direction. The direction of that hole had been meticulously calculated for just one person.
Before the blackout, Delis had made sure to check the position of the platinum-blonde girl in the maid outfit every thirty seconds. This would be more than enough for the observer on the other side to see the two souls clearly.
She was prepared. As if reading her resolve, a massive magical trace suddenly rippled in the distance. Delis shut her eyes tight. Along with a sensation as if the hand she was holding was being violently torn away, a scream soon followed.
“Ugh—!”
Benjamin Ashford instantly collapsed in a pathetic heap. However, Delis couldn't afford to smile in relief. If anything, she clicked her tongue inwardly.
Because it wasn't an instant kill.
Her eyes, which had already partially adapted to the dark, allowed her to see where the Vice-Minister was injured.
‘His left eye.’
The Magic Bullet Yerina had fired with immense force had struck the target's left eye, tearing through the eyeball and the surrounding skin. However, it had fallen short of crushing his skull and brain. Where blood and brain matter should have erupted together, only a high-pressure stream of blood was spurting out.
Barely managing to recover from the damage, the tyrannical noble scrambled to his feet and screamed.
“Delis! Where are you! Deploy a defense barrier right now!”
He was truly an infuriating man. Especially the way he casually threw her name around. Her name wasn't something just anyone could call out so freely.
Since the first shot had failed to kill him, Delis decided to proceed with the next phase of the plan. She wasn't a wizard who could sweep across the front lines and tear through enemy ranks like Yerina or Pavel; she needed to quickly regroup with her allies. At the same time, she would sow confusion in the rear.
“I will go request reinforcements! Since even the emergency power is out, the enemy must be fully prepared!”
“What do you mean...! Delis, you must stay by my side!”
Delis barely held back the urge to say, “Fuck off,” and instead spat out a line designed to mislead him.
“Having me next to you, Lord Ashford, will only be a hindrance! In a situation like this, we must each do what we do best!”
Framing it that way seemed to deeply move him.
“Indeed...! A wise decision! I shall hold off the enemy, so go call for reinforcements! I am counting on you!”
Yes, she would call for reinforcements. They just wouldn't belong to the Ministry of Magic. Without replying, Delis immediately dashed in the direction the magic bullet had flown from.
“The magic bullet struck his left eye with reduced velocity! It is unclear if the eyeball is completely ruptured, but his combat capability has definitely been degraded!”
Delis had returned, sliding across the ballroom floor.
“Is that so? So he took a hit to the eye?”
It wasn't terrible news. Though it wasn't a one-shot kill, inflicting a critical wound to a vital spot was significant. While it was a shame not to end it instantly, taking out one of his eyes by exploiting his false sense of security was a massive gain.
Based on the information Delis brought, I began to chart a new path forward.
First, the Magic Bullets were on hold. The plan to instantly obliterate him with the powerful magic bullet technique I had acquired in Marseille was now scrapped. I couldn't use Delis as a target designator for the time being either.
I intended to keep Delis as a hidden trump card until the very end. According to the report from my Information Chief, who had done a magnificent job, the Vice-Minister still firmly believed Delis was on his side. When the time came, she would be the one to lure the prey—who had scrambled to find cover—back out into the open field of concrete ruins.
My vision, now halfway adapted to the dark, took in the chaotic scene. The vast majority of the crowd consisted of a flock of sheep running wildly across the ballroom floor. Weaving through them were the Ministry of Magic wizards trying to salvage the situation. And finally, the massive beast I had to hunt down and kill no matter what.
‘If only we had an anti-tank gun.’
Though it was a risk I had completely eliminated for myself and my syndicate members by distributing the improved Rosetta Stone, a surprise attack remained a wizard's greatest enemy. No matter how powerful a wizard was, and regardless of the depth of their Walking Magic Path, a surprise attack was always fatal. Even more so if they were caught sleeping.
The initial task I gave Delis was part of that strategy. In that regard, the more firepower used for a surprise attack, the better. To penetrate a thick defensive barrier deployed subconsciously faster than human reaction time, one would need at least a man-portable anti-tank gun. Unfortunately, we didn't have one right now. Obtaining one wasn't the issue; smuggling it in here without getting caught was.
Flash— Flash—
Light sources began to flicker like fireflies across the battlefield. The enemy wizards were conjuring magical lights to secure their vision. These were lights that could not be destroyed by conventional means.
Bang—! Bang—!
In that case, we just had to use unconventional means. Near the spots where the fireflies ignited, my subordinates unleashed suppressive fire. Though they were limited to pistols due to equipment constraints, if you saturate an entire area, a wizard is bound to be caught in the spread.
The Ministry wizards weren't idiots. Knowing an attack could come at any moment, they naturally kept defensive barriers active around their bodies as easily as breathing. But even a momentary distraction was enough. If even a single second of instability was detected, that was my cue to act.
Boom—!
The Magic Shaped Charge Shell I fired was launched with a deafening roar. It was a magic bullet with more than enough power to pierce through defensive barriers and shred the soul within. A soul scattering in an instant meant an enemy wizard had been directly hit by my bullet and torn to shreds.
“Kyaaaah—!”
A shrill scream erupted from the spot where the magic bullet struck. The interactions of the soul affect the physical body, and vice versa. A soul torn into hundreds of pieces by a Magic Shaped Charge Shell meant the physical body suffered a similar fate. Dozens of meters away, heaps of raw flesh were likely rolling across the floor, the result of a powerful internal implosion bursting outward from within the body. It was hardly surprising that some nobles were screaming after being showered in chunks of flesh and spraying blood.
Ignoring them, I fired a few more magic bullets. Each time, a discordant harmony of explosions and screams rang out. The magical lights that had sparkled to drive away the darkness flickered and died.
Occasionally, a magic bullet failed to kill instantly. In those cases, the souls did not completely dissipate but remained flickering faintly like candles in the wind. My subordinates finished those off, either by firing magic bullets or simply unloading their pistols. Since a candle on the verge of going out was right in front of them, they simply snuffed it. There was no deeper meaning to it.
As my subordinates pushed forward, exposing their muzzle flashes, they were met with much stronger resistance. I wasn't foolish enough to overlook the fact that the enemy wasn't blind and deaf. This, too, was entirely expected. Even a child could tell that my exposed subordinates would face heavier retaliation.
However, where my syndicate and I held a massive advantage was, without a doubt, the existence of the improved Rosetta Stone. The warning bells ringing in their souls amidst the pouring gunfire were like a saving grace on a battlefield where life and death were decided by a single step. It was an invaluable support... no, more than that, it was a tool capable of turning the tide of battle. The national artifact the British had plundered from Egypt was a tool that multiplied my subordinates' survival rate dozens of times over.
Meanwhile, a booming voice echoed from across the room.
—Everyone! This is a terrorist attack! Stay flat on the floor to avoid the gunfire!
It was the voice of the Vice-Minister of Magic. However, it was at a volume that could never be produced by human vocal cords alone.
‘Did he use telekinesis to amplify his voice...!’
As soon as the host's voice echoed, a vibration rippled through the floor. The flock of sheep that had been running wildly just moments ago flattened themselves against the ground, spreading the vibration. Did he shout to prevent collateral damage from blind bullets? It didn't matter to me. If I could seize control of the entire British Ministry of Magic after today, the deaths of a few noble heirs could easily be swept under the rug.
Without paying it any mind, I prepared to proceed to the next phase of the plan. ...Or rather, I tried to. The first to notice the anomaly were the subordinates who had infiltrated the CCTV room.
‘Explosives?’
The Syndicate hadn't hidden anything like that in the Marquis's manor. And there was no way the Ministry of Magic would install bombs in their own stronghold...? As if answering my sudden doubt, the sky immediately began to churn.
Yes, not the ceiling, but the sky.
A massive cracking sound, loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear, echoed through the air, and beams of light began to leak in from above. The rays of light, stretching down like the ribs of a folding fan, were none other than moonlight. In other words, a crack had formed in the ballroom's ceiling, and moonlight was pouring through.
‘What a complete madman...!’
Though the Marquis's manor looked grand, it was an ancient castle built nearly two centuries ago. Its current splendor was merely the result of intermittent maintenance. The architectural engineering, cutting-edge for its time, was insufficient to withstand the ravages of time. And driving a wedge into that vulnerability was the telekinesis of a skilled wizard.
I shouted into the communicator.
“Brace for impact! The ceiling dome is about to collapse!”
In the center of the descending moonlight, I could clearly see my adversary. With my naked eyes, and once more with a wizard's eyes.
Blood-soaked blonde hair, crimson blood dripping down his cheeks. In the middle of it all, my adversary, the young head of the Ashford family, glared at me with one eye. No, now it was two eyes. Along with the vivid radiance of his soul, a new eyeball was growing back inside his hollow socket.
“He really is a monster.”
With another deafening roar, the dome directly above the center of the ballroom collapsed. The marble dome, weighing dozens of tons, plummeted toward Benjamin Ashford. Just like I had done moments ago, the prey I had to hunt down unleashed his telekinesis with a simple wave of his hand, completely unbothered. At the same time, the marble pouring down on him exploded from the inside out. The wildly scattering marble fragments crashed onto the floor, creating a grating, unpleasant symphony that sounded like fingernails scratching a blackboard.
My. I had thought he was just an idiot, but he certainly delivers when it counts. Just as a smart person doesn't make their body suffer, a person with a strong body doesn't have to make their brain suffer. Since the electricity was cut and his wizards were shot down the moment they conjured light, he decided to simply bring in the moonlight, which could never be destroyed.
I spoke into the communicator to command my subordinates.
The subordinates under the call sign Grigoriy were the ones who had moved to retrieve the third-generation night-vision goggles secretly stashed in the manor's basement. Now, they were placed on standby with nothing immediate to do.
Our plan to fight with the advantage of absolute darkness had been ruined. Nothing to be done about it. We just had to push a little harder.
I ripped off the maid headband I had been wearing and threw it to the ground. It had been pulling at my hair anyway, and with my temperature rising, it was incredibly uncomfortable. Through the collapsed dome of the ceiling, a chilly late-winter wind blew in, gently fluttering my platinum-blonde hair.