The thick and ancient scents of old paper, dust, and polished wood enveloped them instantly, so different from the sterile opulence of the main halls. Sunlight, muted and diffused, struggled through the tall, arched windows and cast long, ethereal shafts through the maze-like labyrinth of towering bookshelves.
Neila walked behind Hoshimi, a smirk ran across her face.
[He certainly was predictable enough to set up a little welcome, but I've already got the blueprint.]
[There were certain clauses that I placed in the Witch's Oath between me and Elias, either he had to follow the contract or be suspected of the murder of the patriarch. I had all the power here]
[The Oath can be summarized into 7 different articles]
1. When Elias dies or gets taken away, 20% of all assets will be transferred under Neila's name (To make sure that she gains something even if Elias fails his plan)
2. When any form of damage is taken by Neila, it is directly mirrored onto Elias (To prevent Elias from backstabbing her)
3. Elias is forced to listen to 7 commands without questioning and loses the memory of doing such after (In case Elias finds a loophole)
4. Elias is not allowed to disclose any information regarding this Oath and hinder her progress in any way (To prevent any external help)
5. Elias will do everything and use everything in his power to aid Neila in her goal of reaching level 10
6. Neila won't be able to harm Elias unless anyone acquainted to him has attacked her in any way shape or form(In case Elias manages to find help)
7. Neila will be able to watch over Elias' from a third person's point of view whenever she wishes to.
Hoshimi pushed the heavy double doors of the library open, the sound echoing softly through it. The thick and ancient scents of old paper, dust, and polished wood enveloped them instantly, so different from the sterile opulence of the main halls. Sunlight, muted and diffused, struggled through the tall, arched windows and cast long, ethereal shafts through the maze-like labyrinth of towering bookshelves.
[That boy may be a little bit of a tough cookie but he's not someone on my level]
Neila deliberately measured her pace, maintaining a precise distance from Hoshimi. She wasn't sure if it was a safety precaution for Elias, a test, or simply a power play, but for now, she'd adhere. She had other ways to observe.
[Elias told me to stay four steps behind him, I wonder what he meant by that?]
Hoshimi's eyes wandered across the library, his mana slowly started to expand like a dome, slowly filling every single nook and cranny with his own essence.
[I forgot where this place is, guess I'll have to do this over again]
HIs mana collected at his feet, dropping like a dense liquid, seeping through the wooden floorboards.
[Thermal energy is the closest thing to mana, the mana lessens when stopped by a solid wall. I can use mine to feel for empty spaces in the ground, places where my mana bundles up the most]
The floorboards creaked under his footsteps, as he walked through the endless maze of various types of books, his intense focus making him oblivious to Neila's presence just a few paces behind. He paused, stopping suddenly at a corner, his foot tapping deliberately on a specific section of the floor. His mana signature flared, concentrating downwards. He dug the heel of his shoe into the small gap in the floorboards, breaking the wood with minimal effort.
A soft click echoed, faint but clear in the library's vast silence. The section of the wall behind the bookshelf nearby glided inward, revealing a dark, winding staircase descending into gloom.
Neila watched, a glint of amusement in her eyes. She took a step forward, a smug satisfaction washing over her as she prepared to follow him down.
"Just like last time, we're going down here together once again."
"You followed me."
"I'm doing the same now, am I not?"
Hoshimi sighed, running a hand through his black hair. "You know, I don't recall inviting someone like you." His violet eyes, though still calm, held a flicker of irritation.
Neila merely arched an eyebrow, a picture of nonchalant amusement. "Oh, why? Worried about me? At the very least don't abandon me like last time." She tapped her chin with a perfectly manicured finger. "Besides, I assure you, I can handle myself, even if there is something unexpected down there." Her gaze lingered on him for a beat, a silent challenge in her bright blue eyes.
"Your safety is the least of my worries".Hoshimi's lips thinned. "Just don't get in my way." He turned, plunging into the inky blackness of the stairwell without another word. The air immediately grew heavy, thick with the scent of damp earth, ozone, and something else, something cold and metallic, like old blood and repurposed steel.
Neila followed, her heels clicking softly on the rough-hewn stone steps, a stark contrast to Hoshimi's almost silent descent, she smirked. The darkness swallowed them whole, the distant light from the library fading rapidly behind them until only the faint, flickering glow of Hoshimi's mana illuminated their path. It pulsed around him, a soft violet halo that cast distorted shadows on the ancient, crumbling walls.
[A fuckin lightbulb, how hilarious]
Neila observed mentally, a faint smirk playing on her lips.
[If I did that, my mana would run out in 10 minutes. His mana pool must be at the very least 2000 times larger than my tiny little puddle]
The descent was long, spiraling deeper beneath the estate than Hoshimi had anticipated. The air grew colder, each breath fogging visibly. He concentrated his mana, not just for light, but also extending it like a fine net, probing the surrounding stone, searching for any anomalies, hidden compartments, or traps.
[I'm only here to check up on the thing that Domino was worried about, if Elias was really here, then he would've trapped this place but I doubt that he knows that I know about whatever he's planning]
He reached the bottom step. The staircase opened into a vast, circular chamber, larger than anything above ground. The walls were not stone, but a seamless, dull grey metal, curving gently to meet a domed ceiling far above. In the center, a colossal, intricate machine hummed with a low, pulsating energy, its complex network of tubes, wires, and glass chambers glowing with an ominous green light. It was a larger, more sophisticated version of the pods Hoshimi had found in the patriarch's experimental lab.
[I wonder how the authorities didn't see this, yet they took away that soul transferring device and everything else. I never saw this place last time, this must mean that there was interference after the authorities came here to check]
His eyes narrowed into thin slits.
"Fuck, I fell into a trap didn't I"?
[I was too careless for thinking that Elias hadn't been here and tampered with the surroundings]
Neila's eyes started to slowly widen in shock, as she reached out her hand towards him.
The floor beneath Hoshimi started to open like an infinite void, rapidly swallowing him up. His feet flailed for purchase on the rapidly receding metal, but there was nothing. A silent scream tore through his mind, not of fear, but of sheer frustration at his own carelessness.
Neila's eyes started to slowly widen in shock, as she reached out her hand towards him. Her usual composure shattered, a raw, almost visceral alarm flashing in her eyes.
"Hoshimi!" she cried, a genuine concern lacing her voice. The sound was thin, swallowed by the sudden rush of air as Hoshimi plummeted into the darkness.
She dashed forward, peering into the gaping maw that had consumed Hoshimi. The air rushing upwards carried a faint, disturbing hum, too mechanical, too unnatural for the estate's supposed age. She could sense the dense mana signature far below, falling, falling, and then, a jarring impact.
The gap closed up, like a mouth that was already finished with its meal, she backed away from him the surprise on her face shifting back into a stoic expression, her eyes rested, tapping her shoe against the ground.
"That was good enough acting wasn't it? Even if he does manage to escape from there, he won't know that I'm in kahoots with Elias."
She placed one hand on her hip as her foot kept tapping the steel ground.
"Maybe that was too dramatic? To be honest I could not give half a shit about his safety."
Hoshimi hit the bottom with a jarring thud, the air knocked from his lungs. He lay sprawled on a cold, metallic floor, dimly lit by a single, pulsing green light emanating from a complex array of machinery around him.
A low, familiar chuckle echoed from an unseen speaker, bouncing off the metallic walls. "Come on, Sir Shirogane. Did you truly think I would allow you to simply walk in and dismantle my inheritance?"
From a small, elevated platform that slowly rose down, overlooking the chamber, Elias stepped into view. His white hair was perfectly coiffed, his fingers running through his pristine locks, his smile serene, almost beatific, but his blue eyes held a chilling glint that pierced through the darkness.
"Happy birthday Elias," Hoshimi said, pushing himself up, his violet eyes unwavering. The cold, metallic tang of the air filled his lungs. "A rather dramatic celebration, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh, of course. I applaud you for remembering, despite the circumstances." Elias's smile stretched wider, a thin, unsettling line. "This will be your execution."
Hoshimi glanced around the cavernous chamber. Tubes as thick as tree trunks pulsed with glowing green liquid, connecting enormous glass cylinders that stood upright like frozen monoliths. And within each cylinder, small, serene faces of children floated, radiating immense, chaotic mana.
"So what exactly is this place, huh?" Hoshimi demanded, his voice devoid of fear, only a raw, probing intensity.
"I thought it was obvious, no? It's a dungeon. A place where dear father placed his one true abomination, his failed attempt, something that he could not even control. But I can." Elias swept an arm dramatically, his eyes, usually so composed, now gleamed with an almost fanatical fervor.
"Then why are you here?" Hoshimi pressed, his eyes narrowing. "Wouldn't this be a significant risk for you to be down here, exposing yourself like this?"
Hoshimi gathered his mana, subtly extending his senses, searching for a weakness, an exit, anything in the oppressive, mana-saturated atmosphere.
[I have to quickly find a way out of here, right now I'll just buy some time to prevent him from doing anything else]
Elias's smile was now a wide, maniacal grin, utterly devoid of warmth. "Risk? Oh, Hoshimi, this isn't a risk. This is the culmination. I'm here to witness your execution. I'm here to ensure that no one interferes with my ascension." He gripped the sleek device in his hand, his knuckles white.
"After I've purged this estate of its pestilence, starting with you, Sir Shirogane, I will complete what father began. I will become the conduit. The one true heir to all this raw, untapped mana." Elias's voice rose, a chilling crescendo. "Those fucking officers wouldn't dare kill any of the criminals! They all deserve death!" He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a harsh, guttural whisper, laced with an unnerving glee. "And you, Hoshimi, will be the first to fuel my reign. After I kill you, I'll kill every other witch here! Then I'll kill Adrian, then I'll kill the rest of the criminals, I'll create a pradise where my older sister doesn't have to worry about anything!!"
Elias's laugh climbed to a fever pitch, echoing unnaturally off the metallic walls of the deep chamber. "This is beyond foresight! This is destiny! The ultimate design! If I don't die here, then Lady Bleu must have blessed me! If I don't die here, then I must be Lady Bleu's chosen one!!!"
Hoshimi watched him, his violet eyes narrowing to pinpricks of pure light in the gloom. The frantic, almost desperate prayer for power, even amidst such monstrous desecration, painted a chilling picture of Elias's descent.
[He's just gone insane hasn't he?]
With a cold, deliberate slowness that belied the roaring chaos in his mind, Hoshimi raised his hand, pointing his finger towards Elias' face on the platform above.
"What do you think you're doing now, Sir Shirogane? A futile gesture of defiance??" His voice dripped with condescension, a sneer twisting his angelic features. He saw only a raised hand, nothing more. His faith in his impregnable position, his control over the chamber, was absolute.
Hoshimi held his breath, drawing the oppressive, electrified mana of the chamber deep into his lungs. He felt it surge, a familiar, burning cold. Mana, a shimmering, violet haze, collected not at his fingertip, but in the palm of his raised hand. The invisibility was released from the object in his grasp.
Time seemed to warp, stretch, and finally crack.
A blinding, metallic flash erupted from Hoshimi's hand, too quick for the eye to follow. An object manifesting from nothingness.
Elias's world seemed to stop, his eyes wide, dilated, fixed. The sneer on his lips froze, he was startled. His breath hitched, a strangled gasp caught in his throat.
What met his gaze was not a blast of mana, not a mystical attack, but the cold, dull glint of a steel barrel. It emerged from Hoshimi's open palm with an impossible speed, materializing into place, unwavering.
The air, already heavy with mana, now carried the faint, acrid scent of gunpowder.
[I can turn my body invisible, I can wrap my mana around any object, turning it invisible as well]
Elias's manic glee evaporated, replaced by a dawning, visceral terror. His pupils, once dancing with fanatical light, constricted, shrinking away from the dark, uncompromising maw of the gun.
"Bang".