Chapter 854 |
Chapter 854 - Side Story 127: Recovery (2)
If it had been the usual Benjamin, he wouldn't have used such a dangerous move. He was greedy. Being greedy also meant, conversely, being fearful. Because those who are obsessed with gaining something inevitably harbor fear of the possibility of losing it.
If one had nothing, desire would be the driving force to overcome fear. However, if one already possessed something, desire would rather fear a future where they might lose it.
Benjamin was exactly that - a turtle huddled inside its shell with its neck drawn in. That turtle had finally stuck its neck out. Now that everything he had was taken away, with nowhere else to vent that sense of loss and anger.
Benjamin tried somehow to recover what he had lost because he was a greedy man.
If it's taken away, take it back. If taking it back doesn't work, then replenish it by taking from others.
To do so, he would never be choosy about means and methods. Even if it meant massacring who knows how many beastmen in that distant foreign land to save a failing company.
That maliciously cruel mindset was what had elevated him to this position. The fanatical obsession of never letting go of what he had. That's why Benjamin was not in a state to make rational judgments right now.
Otherwise, he wouldn't dare think of applying physical pressure to Cassie Selmore.
Cassie spoke to Rudger, who was slightly trying to help. Her voice was firm. Her eyes were fierce, looking as if she wouldn't let him off either if he intervened.
Rudger shrugged and smirked. As she wished.
Cassie turned her gaze back to Benjamin. Benjamin's face was flushed bright red, seemingly thinking he had been ignored.
"Grab her!"
The bodyguards moved. They weren't unaware of who Cassie was. But they were professionals who worked for the money they were paid.
Though there may have been mental hesitation at first, their movements were without restraint.
And there was something that moved before them.
Kwakwakwakwakwa!
Before anyone knew it, the room was filled with water. Tiny particles gathered to form water droplets, and the water droplets gathered to create a single mass.
The masses gathered together and grew enormous, soon creating a torrent within the room.
Water flowed between Cassie and the bodyguards. The bodyguards were flustered, but realizing it was just flowing water, they tried to push through.
Clink.
A bodyguard who appeared to be a former knight drew his sword and advanced. The sword was covered with aura.
He must have planned to swing the sword wrapped in aura to cut through the torrent, even if only for an instant.
"I wouldn't recommend it."
Cassie warned, but the opponent didn't listen. The sword falling vertically struck the torrent.
Tukang!
At that moment, the sword was deflected. The bodyguard, who had been gripping it tightly to avoid dropping the sword, couldn't withstand the force and was flung to the side.
The large body filled with muscles from repeated training flew and crashed into the wall.
"That's why I said I didn't recommend it. Bringing a blade to flowing water. Do you know how fast the current is?"
The flow Cassie created was much faster than it appeared on the surface. So fast that even a sword wrapped in aura was deflected.
Chiiik!
This time, magic activated. Among the bodyguards was a mage with considerable skill. Rudger knew this too. He was someone worth paying attention to. He was a 5th circle mage, no less.
A 5th circle mage who could be hired with money in a place like this was rare. Someone of that level would be treated well anywhere. The money spent to hire him must have been considerable.
The mage immediately activated ice magic. The idea was probably to freeze the flowing water itself with cold and render it useless.
'The idea itself isn't wrong.'
Ordinary elemental magic couldn't stop the torrent Cassie had created. The method of completely freezing the water was indeed the surest way to interfere with the water she controlled.
'But that only applies to Cassie before the Holy War.'
Jjeojeojeok.
The torrent Cassie created quickly froze. Seeing this, the bodyguards' eyes lit up, thinking it was an opportunity.
It was useless.
Kwajijik!
The frozen torrent flowed as is. The ice was shattered by newly added water. The ice mixed here and there with the torrent, transforming into an even more ferocious form.
"You thought I couldn't use it if it froze? Then I'll have to correct that thinking."
Cassie smiled and snapped her fingers.
Jjeojeojeojeojeok.
The torrent she created froze right where it was. The bodyguards couldn't understand the scene for a moment.
Could Cassie Selmore handle not just water?
'Ice is ultimately just water that has dropped below freezing point and transformed into a solid form. Looking at its essence, it means it's ultimately water.'
Cassie realized this through the Holy War. Her brain and thinking had expanded. This meant she could interfere not just with water, but also with snow and ice.
The flowing torrent became complete ice. It crossed the room surrounding Cassie, circled around, and crossed the room again.
That brilliant and beautiful form drew a perfect curve. It was like seeing infinity in an endless cycle.
It became a well-sculpted ice statue.
Kkigigigeuk.
The circular shape made of ice began to turn again. Though not water, it moved as if flowing. Because it too was water.
The bodyguards were flustered. Cassie smiled and snapped her fingers again.
"This is also possible."
Pueong!
The ring of ice burst. Countless ice crystals scattered in all directions. The room was filled with cold air and beautiful light clusters. It was a spectacular sight of very small crystal fragments reflecting the ceiling light.
It remained fixed in the air without moving. Like lamps carved in the air.
Pupeupupeupupeupupeupuepueong!
The small ice crystals exploded and divided into smaller pieces. They were extremely fine particles. The particles divided and divided until they became as small as water vapor.
This time, the room was filled with mist. The temperature of the air touching the skin was hot. Cassie vibrated and rubbed the water to raise the temperature instantly. The private room became so hot it was reminiscent of a sauna.
Hot water suddenly froze to become ice, ice melted to become water and flowed. Flowing water suddenly froze, then vaporized to become water vapor and expanded.
In Cassie's ever-changing magic, the bodyguards were swept up in the aftermath and could do neither this nor that.
The same was true for knights who had trained their bodies and mages who wielded various magic. Because in the environment created by the Color Mage, only those who had reached a comparable level could endure.
Ice stuck to their bodies and they collapsed, panting from the hot heat before sitting down.
The bodyguards fell one by one and were wiped out in an instant. Cassie, who had subdued them all with just hand gestures, now stared at the man standing alone.
Benjamin was looking at Cassie with a pale face.
"H-how......"
He seemed not to understand. There were many in number, this side had knights and mages too. And it was a confined space called a private room. Even if the opponent was a skilled expert, he was confident he could win.
"You seem to look down on people too much."
Cassie glared at Benjamin with a gaze emanating cold air.
"Did you think everything in the world moves according to your will?"
Benjamin doesn't know. That one who has reached a true peak cannot be dealt with no matter how many mediocre people are gathered.
It's probably because he's ignorant about magic. He probably doesn't know much about knights either.
'He was someone who had everything. No, he had that delusion. He hired knights and mages with money, so he thought his financial power was above that. But this was simply a common form of contract that exists in the world.'
People sometimes forget their place in repetitive situations. Benjamin was exactly like that. Successful, wealthy, and famous.
He wielded his massive financial power as he wished. But he hadn't only walked the path of success.
There was a crisis where his company almost went bankrupt. To prevent that, he did what he could. It was ethically wrong.
He had gone through such things. There isn't only success in the world. The possibility of failure should also be kept in mind.
If he had succeeded so dramatically in making a comeback, he should have engraved the danger of that day deep in his bones.
He should have known that the world is not easy. Benjamin did not do that. After covering up his failure, he ironically became even more arrogant.
He boasted that there would be no greater barrier in his life than this and fell into narcissism. This was exactly that conclusion.
"You know what? If it had been the old days, I would have unconditionally driven someone like you legally and put you in prison."
Cassie, who had risen from her seat, approached Benjamin. Benjamin's legs gave out and he plopped down on his bottom.
"I would have tried to establish justice according to principles. But not now. I've also gone through many things and changed a lot."
Cassie's gaze momentarily touched on Rudger before disappearing like a mirage.
"A-are you going to kill me!"
"I thought about it at first. But just because I've changed doesn't mean I kill indiscriminately. It's not good to be extremely biased toward either side in anything."
At the words that she wouldn't kill him, Benjamin seemed inwardly relieved. But Rudger knows. That doesn't mean Cassie will just let it slide.
"Eup!"
Benjamin suddenly clutched his insides. He vomited water from his mouth as is.
"Kkueoeoeoek!"
He vomited a mal's worth of water, and even after that, he panted while clutching his chest. Benjamin looked at Cassie with a pale gaze. His eyes asked what she had done.
"Remember that sensation just now? The pain of not being able to breathe because your lungs filled with water."
"......"
"Breathing is difficult, your mind becomes distant, and you suffer from chest pain. And that pain is much weaker than that of the victims who suffered from what you did to get to this position."
Cassie's voice was full of sharp edges. Like a well-sharpened ice pick.
"So don't forget that pain. Because filling your entire lungs with water is nothing if I put my mind to it."
Benjamin nodded with a pale face. He didn't even have the presence to answer.
Cassie snorted and turned to look at Rudger.
"Let's go."
"Let's."
Rudger stood beside Cassie. Cassie grabbed Rudger's hand. When he turned around with a look of surprise, Cassie asked curtly.
"What."
Her hand was trembling, just a little.
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Let's go."
Rudger held Cassie's hand tightly. The soft touch of her palm was transmitted through his palm.
The two left the room, leaving behind the unconscious bodyguards and Benjamin trapped in fear.
How long had they walked like that?
"Are you okay?"
"......Well, it's the first time I've done something like this with water to a person's body. I was just a little shocked."
Cassie said with a sigh. She seemed to be wondering if filling his lungs with water was going a bit too far, though she had intended to intimidate him.
"Hmm. Is that so? I think you did quite well though."
"Did well? Even though I committed the act of filling his lungs with water?"
Rudger asked back as if he couldn't understand.
"Isn't that a very gentlemanly action? You didn't make the blood flow backward to destroy the heart and blood vessels."
Cassie looked at Rudger with a dumbfounded gaze. At the shock contained in that look, Rudger flinched and asked.
"......Did I do something wrong?"
"The fact that you don't even realize it is what makes you wicked. Really."