Library Sit-In Incident (6)
We four scattered in all directions at once. And each of us activated the opportunities we'd been assigned.
The lich naturally reacted to our movements. It halted its magic and turned around.
"Wretched vermin. So you've finally crawled all the way here."
The undead's deathly rasp leaked from its clattering jawbones. It wasn't a pretty sight, by any means.
"Forget them—look at me, you dumbass lich!"
At that moment, Shasha hammered away at the lich's skull, drawing its gaze away from us. The lich yowled and flailed about, clearly pissed at Shasha's relentless prodding.
But the lich didn't kill Shasha. No—couldn't was more accurate.
Kiran Tianis had been a sentimental sort, cherishing even the life he'd created with his own hands. So he'd embedded a spell: anyone who killed Shasha would die themselves. That's why it just stood there, even as she poked and prodded.
Of course, it could do plenty besides killing her.
"Once I seize this place's magic, I'll seal you away in the deepest abyss...!"
The lich unleashed a spell to isolate Shasha. She yelped in surprise and darted away, then shouted in a frantic voice.
"Eek! You bastard, hurry up and activate it!"
"Already done."
The moment the lich's spell reached Shasha, the artifact's power spread throughout the clock tower. Every spell it touched crumbled to dust.
"Hah, you're in deep shit now! Serves you right for messing with the dead—whoa!"
Shasha puffed up with smug triumph as the magic was nullified, strutting with overflowing confidence—only to dodge another incoming spell. Of course, that one fizzled out before it could reach far.
"Hide now. And stay out of the way."
"Got it!"
With that, Shasha vanished in a poof! Its role was done. All that remained was restoring the library system to normal.
"......"
As the magic evaporated, the lich froze in place, muttering to itself as it analyzed the situation.
"Not quite magic nullification... An artifact that reduces spells above a certain tier to nothing...?"
It tested several spells over its bony hand. Some vanished into thin air.
"Anything 7th circle or higher is restricted. But with this pathetic toy, you think you can...?"
I cut off the lich's words.
"Typical undead—brain-dead as expected. Stuck on that level of thinking. Or maybe your mind rotted away from sleeping too long?"
"You dare, you insignificant mortal...!"
"Ha!"
Mortal. That single word from the lich was laughably arrogant.
"Watch your mouth. A lich is just a mortal who ditched their body without reaching transcendence. And how long are you gonna keep ignoring this?"
At that instant, a magic circle rose from the floor where the lich hovered. Shrrrrk—!! Dozens of iron chains materialized, binding it tight. The sturdy links pinned it in place.
"Hmph, think these bindings can hold me?"
The lich scoffed and snapped its fingers. But nothing happened.
"......"
"Wondering why you can't teleport from inside?"
The library's surrounding barrier blocked spatial movement between outside and in. Teleportation spells were naturally sealed. But inside the library, spatial jumps were possible—like Shasha had just done.
Yet I'd activated an artifact that froze space along with the bindings. That's why teleportation was blocked.
"You bastard!! I'll make you die the most painful death!!"
The lich flew into a rage. Even with its magic sealed, its tier remained, making the air tremble. The pressure made my skin crawl.
"You think that's all we've got?"
I pulled out the hidden chalice.
"The Holy Grail...! I won't let you use that!"
The lich spotted it and hurriedly cast a spell. Dozens of magic circles bloomed in the air. But I simply cupped the chalice in both hands and drew forth its power, making no other move.
The lich's spells came rushing in. Whoosh—! The sound of air slicing. Evan had swung his sword right in front of me.
"Hyungnim! Just leave it to me!"
He swung relentlessly. Every spell that neared shattered.
Evan's sword, Raman, had a purifying property, gleaming pure white. And the lich was an undead entity tainted by corruption. Its mana was steeped in darkness, as was its magic. That's why the spells crumbled so easily.
"Evan, that's enough. Fall back."
"Yes, sir!"
Holy power flowed from the chalice. Replica or not, the sheer volume was immense. Soon it overflowed, filling the clock tower.
"Grr, urgh—!"
The lich groaned in agony. Holy power was poison to undead. Its aura shrank dramatically.
In the meantime, Rana and the princess finished setting up their opportunities. Magical devices and artifacts' power swirled around their bodies from the floor.
Preparations for lich hunting were complete. I drew Carsa from its sheath and channeled mana.
"Lich, your fatal mistake was being too damn arrogant."
With that, I kicked off the ground and charged.
"Damn it all! How can I be bested by these blood clots...!"
The lich spat in fury. The current situation frustrated it to no end. And the cause? That insolent blood clot.
"Evan, your reactions are slow. Sharpen your senses."
"Princess, for multiple spells, it's better to guide them in and dispel rather than just dodging blindly."
"Rana, you don't need to attack only from safe-looking spots. Slip through the gaps."
It kept offering endless advice while never letting up its checks on him. It struck with sword blows in the lulls, refusing to fall for any tricks, dodging or deflecting spells effortlessly. It was like overlooking the entire battlefield.
How could anyone pull that off? Impossible without splitting your mind into multiples. And yet, its veteran poise belied its youth. The depth surpassed even his own century-plus as a lich—no, it exceeded Kiran Tianis and Keilon Arden, who had sealed him in their twenties.
What kind of life led to that state? 300 years? 500? Maybe even time alone couldn't explain it.
Thus, the lich felt emotions from its sealing days bubbling up from deep within: terror. Fear it hadn't known before or after becoming a lich wrapped around its entire being.
"...Impossible."
The lich muttered. It had been an 8th-circle mage even before discarding its flesh—driven by time's limits, but a genius among geniuses at its core. For it, a human who'd lived not even a tenth of its 200-plus years across human and lich life, to evoke such feelings? Absurd.
"I didn't discard my body to die to scum like you! I will—I will reach the pinnacle of magic...!!"
The lich bellowed, unleashing its mana to dominate the space. Its tier's insight remained, restrictions be damned. Hundreds of magic circles adorned the sky like embroidery. The kaleidoscope of spells was beautiful in itself—and devastatingly powerful.
Seeing the lich's wrathful form, Kyle said,
"Pathetic. Talentless hack who gave up on life."
"Even if it costs my life, I'll drag you down with me!!!"
Kyle ignored the lich's outburst. He called to the three spread out.
"Evan, quit spacing out and get over here. Rana, Princess—you too."
In truth, Kyle could've smashed those spells if he wanted—like against Ratral Heytald. Arden swordsmanship's Four Forms. The secret technique dubbed [Mana Breaker].
But it wasn't suitable now. [Mana Breaker] shattered mana constructs—including artifact power. It'd give the lich a chance to turn things around. Plus, this was prime experience for the three. Nothing grew skills like real combat.
"No time, so I'll keep it simple. Princess and I lead, punching through the spells. Evan finishes it. Rana, support with Cache. Questions?"
The three shook their heads no.
"Then let's go."
The four in formation charged the lich. Just then, its spells erupted. Hundreds of beams rained down.
Kyle deftly weaved and slashed them apart. Ariel, however, didn't. Her expression grew strained over time. She'd handled it fine moments ago. Soon she realized why.
The numbers... too many.
Double the volume so far. Probably because charging while guarding the two behind drew them in denser. Her limits wouldn't cut it. But she had to make it work—like before.
The princess released her suppressed power. Her black eyes stained crimson-black. Reversal Demon Eye—the opportunity she'd gained in the library.
It reflected incoming force or magic—but only if caught in her sight.
Didn't want to use it...
Freshly mastered, control was shaky. But no choice now. Thankfully, the bloodline trait aided the eyes. She sensed the flows around her. Spells flooded her expanded aura sense.
Ariel moved. Sword cleaved spells; unblockables bounced via eyes. She even angled reflections to deflect follow-ups. Eyes ached, but she gained breathing room.
The lich wouldn't let that slide. It recalled mana, weaving new spells. The moment Ariel deflected and paused for her next motion—spells poured from all sides.
"Can't dodge th—"
Then Cache touched Ariel. Boom!! The lich's spell detonated. Her spot was utterly crushed. Power no non-Master could survive.
The lich assumed the blood clot dead. Wrong.
Beside the compressed space, Ariel's hazy form flickered into view. Spells fired through it; then she solidified. Repeated endlessly. Vanishing and reappearing like a dream—Dreamcat Cache's ability to slip between dream and reality.
"Evan, hit it hard."
Kyle's calm voice rang out. His last strike had cleared the spells. The lich's mana was critically low. Perfect chance to end it.
"Yes, hyungnim!"
Protected, Evan gripped mana-condensed Raman tight. White sword aura blazed, purification layered for the kill.
The prepared strike for the lich. Evan swung down. Slash—!!
The mana-laden cleave bisected it. Lacking Carsa's twin-edge sharpness, but Raman's sharpness sufficed.
Yet the lich didn't die instantly. Undead death aura leaked from the split, regenerating—but purification halted it.
"I won't die like this...!"
The lich wailed, weaving spells. Evan's attack rivaled holy power's agony.
Kyle wouldn't allow it.
"Sloppy finish. To kill a lich, don't just cleave the form—sever the mana links too."
Otherwise, who knew what tricks it'd pull. Whoosh—! Kyle's sword beheaded it. Carsa's edge sliced mana threads effortlessly.
Spells fizzled; bones clattered down.
"Not that it was bad. You did well, actually."
Growth like that in a day? They'd maxed out. Just needed polishing.
"Coming from you, hyungnim, I don't know where to put myself..."
"Cut the crap and call Shasha."
Skipping the usual tiresome praise, Kyle said that. Everyone was beat. No need to drag it out.
Cleanup was simple. Shasha, waiting outside, returned to the clock tower.
"Leave it to me! Won't take a second!"
Confidently, Shasha touched the clock tower's core. The library system reconnected. Authority restored.
Shasha swiftly reset the wrecked library to normal.
Now just leave... but.
"Huh? Where'd Kyle go?"
"No idea. He was right here."
Kyle Arden had vanished from the clock tower.