Multiversal Ascension

Chapter 89 - 89: An Unpleasant Surprise (2)

Lyra's gaze shifted to Amelia, who simply nodded at her with a small smile on her face. Seeing their determination, Lyra sighed. "If you two are set on rushing into danger, how could I not join you?"

"Marvelous! A forest trip where, instead of mosquitoes, we'll have ferocious beasts trying to eat us," Mikael joked, his tone light.

Amelia rolled her eyes at his words before responding, "If we're going to do this, we need to ask permission from a teacher!"

"No need, young lady. I'll handle that," a female voice interjected sharply.

A woman appeared beside them, clad in tight-fitting dark clothes that blended seamlessly with the shadows. Her entire form was concealed beneath sleek fabric, her face obscured by a black mask that left only her sharp eyes visible. They glinted with predatory intensity, her presence like a hidden dagger ready to strike.

"Shadow, you're here?" Amelia asked, startled.

"Of course, young lady. Your father assigned me to protect you. Didn't he inform you that I would continue to guard you, even during your time at the Academy?"

Amelia's thoughts raced back to all the intimate moments she'd shared with Mikael—kisses and closeness—and a flush crept onto her cheeks. Gritting her teeth, she responded, "No, he didn't inform me."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. If I'd known he hadn't told you, I would have informed you myself, young lady," Shadow replied, bowing politely.

Straightening, she continued, "If you allow me, I'll inform Draven of your intentions and ensure your safety, as well as that of this young lady," she said, glancing at Lyra, "and this young master," she finished, her sharp eyes landing on Mikael.

Amelia sighed, waving a hand dismissively. "Sure, do whatever you need."

With Amelia's permission, Shadow vanished, reappearing moments later beside a startled Draven. She began conversing with him quietly.

"Who is she?" Mikael asked.

"This is Shadow. She's an SS rank warrior and my personal bodyguard. I just didn't know she'd be following me to the Academy," Amelia admitted, her face reddening with embarrassment.

Before Amelia could elaborate further, Shadow reappeared, her arrival as silent as a ghost's. "It's done, young lady. The teachers have given their permission. You may investigate the forest. I'll be responsible for your protection, but be warned—I will only intervene if I deem the situation critical."

The trio accepted her terms. As swiftly as she appeared, Shadow vanished again.

After a brief moment, the three exchanged determined glances. Without wasting any more time, they jumped from the town wall and disappeared into the forest, their actions drawing the curious stares of some students who didn't understand what they were doing.

They moved in a triangular formation, with Mikael taking the lead, ready to react to any sudden attack. Amelia and Lyra followed closely behind, strategically positioned to fall back if needed, leaving Mikael to handle melee combat.

The forest exuded an oppressive atmosphere despite the fact that it wasn't late and nightfall was still hours away. Perhaps it was the knowledge that beasts could be lying in ambush that made them uneasy.

Refusing to be discouraged, they pressed on. Mikael occasionally used energy detection spells to locate nearby creatures or anything suspicious. Yet, even after a while, he sensed nothing—not even a stray beast. This absence was unusual, as forests typically teemed with wildlife, even after a beast wave.

Suddenly, Mikael stopped. After casting another detection spell, he announced, "About 500 meters ahead, there are eight living beings: three D rank, three D+, and two C-."

"When you say 'living beings,' what do you mean?" Amelia asked.

"It means I know there's something alive, but I can't tell whether they're beasts or something else. Also, they'll know they've been scanned, but they won't know where we are."

Lyra looked uneasy. "Should we approach?"

Amelia answered before Mikael could. "Of course. That's why we're here."

The trio advanced cautiously toward the location Mikael had pinpointed. Taking their time to remain discreet, they soon arrived within sight of the group.

A short distance ahead in a clearing stood eight figures clad in long black robes, their hoods concealing their faces. Their attire resembled something out of a satanic ritual from a movie.

But what truly caught their attention wasn't just the eerie clothing. On the ground before the robed figures lay a massive pentagram, its lines drawn in what appeared disturbingly to be blood.

Scattered around the group were the bodies of multiple beasts, their once-powerful forms now reduced to husks, as though their vitality had been completely drained. It seemed their blood had been used to construct the sinister pentagram on the ground.

These clothes figures weren't idle; they were fervently chanting in a strange language. Reacting to their chant the pentagram around and below them was pulsating like it was alive.

"What is this?" Lyra whispered, her voice trembling with horror.

"Seems like we've stumbled upon some kind of satanic cult..." Mikael muttered grimly.

Amelia surprisingly stayed silent, her eyes fixed on the scene before her. When she finally spoke, her voice was laced with hate. "The Obsidian Covenant!"

"What!? Are you sure?" Mikael exclaimed in shock.

Lyra looked at Amelia with wide eyes, though her reaction was less intense than Mikael's, as she wasn't aware of Amelia's history with them.

"I'm sure! I could recognize those disgusting fanatics among thousands. Knowing them, they're probably connected to the beast wave in one way or another. There's no way it's a coincidence that they're performing some kind of sacrifice in the forest near Willowbrook Town, which has been under attack by multiple beast waves." Her eyes burned with fury as she stared at the Obsidian Covenant members, every word dripping with venomous hate.

Seeing the usually composed Amelia seething with rage, Mikael spoke calmly. "I'm with you if you want to take them down."

Amelia simply nodded, her gaze never leaving the robed figures.

Hearing their conversation and realizing they were discussing killing these people, Lyra paled. Her voice trembled as she stammered, "S-shouldn't we go look for reinforcements?"

Amelia didn't so much as glance at her, her tone firm as she shook her head. "No. I won't give them a chance to escape."

"I-If you're s-sure about attacking, I'll go with you!" Lyra said, trying to project determination, though her shaking voice and trembling body betrayed her nerves.

Mikael reached for her hand, squeezing it gently to reassure her. He didn't try to talk her out of helping, knowing she needed to learn to face situations like this. The world was a dangerous place, and not having the resolve to kill when necessary could lead to disaster.

Lyra tightened her grip on Mikael's hand, drawing comfort from his silent support. Not long after, Amelia turned her head slightly, her voice impatient. "Are we attacking?" Her focus on the Obsidian Covenant members was so intense that she failed to notice Lyra's anxiety.

Mikael released Lyra's hand and stepped forward. "For the attack, I'll circle around and strike first. Stay hidden until they're distracted. Once their focus is on me, attack them from behind. But keep your distance—it could get dangerous. Understand?"

Lyra nervously nodded, while Amelia gave a sharp nod, her eyes blazing with determination.

Wasting no time, Mikael silently moved through the forest, taking great care to remain undetected. Soon enough, he positioned himself on the opposite side of the clearing from where they had initially observed the group. Gripping his two swords tightly, he activated the Wind-Explosive Style and propelled himself forward like a rocket toward one of the fanatics, who had his back turned.

"What!" a fanatic screamed, startled by Mikael's sudden appearance.

Before the man could warn the others, Mikael used his incredible speed to close the distance. With a swift slash of his sword, he decapitated one of the D+ ranked Obsidian Covenant members.

"Heretic to Nexoria!" another fanatic bellowed in rage, but Mikael didn't pause. Exploiting their disarray, he killed another fanatic, this one D ranked, before the rest of the group could regroup.

Of the original eight members, six remained. Four of them immediately activated aura cloaks and charged at him, while the remaining two stepped back and began preparing spells. Their quick reaction to the ambush made it clear that these weren't ordinary cultists—they were battle-hardened elites.

Mikael engaged the four warriors in close combat. Despite his overwhelming power, he deliberately held back, pretending to struggle to give Amelia and Lyra an opportunity to gain experience in a "true" life-and-death situation. He stalled the attackers, feigning disadvantage while carefully controlling the fight.

One of the mages, a C- rank, chanted fervently as he prepared his spell. "For the lives you've taken, heretic, your death will be a glorious offering to the great beings of Nexoria!" His voice dripped with fanaticism.

Mikael ducked under a spear thrust and retaliated, leaving a shallow cut on the spearman's arm. The mage sneered and shouted, "Be careful! We need him alive for the sacrifice!"

The two mages continued to chant, their voices steady as they worked to charge their spells. The air crackled with the mana they infused, building pressure with each passing moment. One mage conjured a powerful fire spell, flames flickering dangerously at his fingertips, while the other focused on summoning a thunder spell, crackling with raw, violent energy. As the incantations neared completion, the tension in the air became almost unbearable, the spells radiating with destructive power. Both mages waited for the perfect opening.

"Swish."

Multiple arrows sliced through the air, aimed with deadly precision at the fanatics.

"Careful!" one warrior yelled, dodging the incoming arrows. While some managed to evade, others were less fortunate. A few suffered light injuries, and one mage was hit, taking an arrow to the shoulder.

A portion of the Covenant members turned toward the source of the arrows, only to see a massive water ball hurtling toward them. The mages unleashed their prepared spells—a thunderbolt and a blazing fireball—combining their powers to overpower the water spell. The clash of elements created a deafening explosion before the remnants of their spells surged toward Lyra, who had just emerged from the forest.

Fortunately, the distance gave Lyra ample time to evade the spells, though their raw power left her visibly shaken.

A brief stalemate ensued between the girls and the mages until the C- rank mage, who seemed to be the leader, barked an order. "We need at least one warrior to support us against these two!"

One of the four warriors attempted to disengage from Mikael, but Mikael intensified his assault, refusing to give them any opportunity to assist the mages. His attacks forced the warrior back into the fray, preventing a regroup.

The lead mage cursed under his breath. Before he could issue another command, Amelia's arrows were already flying toward him. She wasted no time, each shot aimed to kill. Unlike Amelia, however, Lyra stood frozen, unsure of how to proceed after her initial attack.

The mage conjured a barrier to block Amelia's arrows, then retaliated by creating a barrage of small fireballs, launching them like a machine gun. Amelia moved with agility, her aura-enhanced speed allowing her to dodge the projectiles while attempting counterattacks. However, her arrows shattered harmlessly against the mage's barrier, revealing the rank disparity between them.

The situation worsened as the second mage, noticing Lyra's hesitation, shifted his focus to Amelia. He ignored his shoulder injuries and conjured thunderbolts, launching them with devastating speed and wide-ranging effects. The combination of fireballs and thunderbolts forced Amelia onto the defensive, leaving her unable to retaliate effectively.

"Lyra, I need your help!" Amelia shouted, her voice urgent.

Hearing Amelia's plea, Lyra snapped out of her daze and forced herself to act. With a quick chant she conjured two water balls and launched them at the mages. The spells struck their barriers, causing visible cracks, particularly on the thunder mage's weaker shield.

Amelia seized the opportunity, channeling a significant amount of aura into a single arrow. She let it fly toward the thunder mage, who, seeing the incoming attack, poured additional mana into his barrier. Just as the arrow seemed poised to strike the shield, it abruptly veered to the left before curving sharply to the right, bypassing the barrier entirely.

Author Note:

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