Chapter 536 (2) - The Academys Weapon Replicator |
Frondier bit his lip at her words.
She was right.
Elodie knew Frondier just as well as he knew her.
Frondier extended both arms.
Simultaneous Weaving, Obsidian
Mjölnir, Excalibur
He grasped the sword and hammer in his hands, waiting for Elodie’s magic to manifest.
Frondier couldn’t attack Elodie. And she knew it.
So he would only swing these weapons after her magic was unleashed.
Elodie Original
Vermillion Bird’s Ascent
Kwaaaaa—!!
A storm of fire surged towards Frondier.
And Frondier’s hands moved in response.
Aura emission, Sword of Light
Frondier Original
Bombing
Clang—!
He struck the pommel of the sword, launching a wave of Sword Ki.
The Vermillion Bird’s Ascent and Front clashed in midair, sending shockwaves in all directions.
“Ugh…!”
Wind that felt like it could rip apart space, and rising dust. It was difficult to see anything.
Frondier gritted his teeth and spread his wings, pushing through the cloud of dust.
Whoosh!
He flew straight towards the cave, reaching Elodie’s vicinity.
‘I can’t attack Elodie, but…’
If her Gods were assisting her, then they were also targets for his attack.
Frondier extended his gun-shaped hand towards Elodie.
Eclexis. He would eliminate her Divine Power first.
‘Right now, Elodie is actively using Divine Power. So I can target the Gods.’
Just as he was about to fire Eclexis…
Frondier saw something unbelievable.
“…Elodie.”
Frondier murmured, bewildered.
Elodie was also pointing a finger at him. It wasn’t shaped like a gun like his, but the meaning was clear.
“Eclexis…”
Elodie could use Eclexis.
Since Frondier had no knowledge of this, his plan was completely thrown off.
“I told you, Frondier.”
Elodie said with a hardened expression.
“That won’t work.”
“Elodie…!”
Elodie’s stance was very similar to his own. It could be a coincidence, but Frondier’s head was spinning.
‘Can Elodie really use Eclexis?’
Elodie had seen Frondier use Eclexis countless times.
She had witnessed what happened when he pointed his gun-shaped hand at an opponent. Was she just mimicking what she had seen?
‘Eclexis is not easy to learn. I wouldn’t know it myself if Arald hadn’t told me. Could Elodie have figured it out on her own?’
If Elodie could use it, the most likely scenario was when Vishnu appeared.
At that time, Elodie had sent Frondier ahead first. If there was an opportunity to learn Eclexis, that was the only time. Otherwise, Frondier would have witnessed it.
But the probability was low. Eclexis wasn’t a power easily obtained.
Surely Elodie’s stance was a bluff. If Frondier fired Eclexis now, it would hit one of the Gods. That was the more likely outcome.
—But if there’s even a 1% chance, a possibility of Elodie being in danger…
“Ugh…”
Frondier groaned, unable to move.
If he entered Pandemonium with Elodie, the situation would turn disastrous.
Inside Pandemonium, where he could only use Eclexis, Frondier would be helpless. His Eclexis was too lethal. Elodie knew this and would only fight back more aggressively.
They would be locked in a desperate battle with no guarantee of victory for either side.
“…Please, move, Elodie.”
Frondier’s voice trembled.
Elodie saw his state. Her eyes widened, staring at him with a pained expression.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you doing this? How is this saving me? I have to go save my brother.”
At Frondier's words, Elodie's eyes wavered.
This deadlock wouldn’t end until one of them backed down.
Elodie slowly inhaled and opened her mouth.
“Frondier, beyond this…”
At that moment.
Elodie's vision went black. Unsure of what had happened, she froze for a second.
Thud—!
The next moment, she was forced to the ground, pinned down. Her hands were bound, and a sharp, pointed blade touched her neck.
And then she heard a voice.
“Go! Master Frondier!”
That voice.
“Selena!”
Both Frondier and Elodie exclaimed simultaneously.
Emerging from Elodie’s shadow, Selena had swiftly subdued her. She spoke to Frondier with an urgent tone.
“Master Frondier! Hurry!”
“…Right!”
Frondier snapped out of his daze and started running.
No one could match Selena in close combat, but their opponent was Elodie. She could easily defeat Selena in ways Frondier couldn’t even begin to fathom.
“Selena! Get out of the way!”
Elodie yelled, her voice laced with desperation. In that brief moment, Frondier had already distanced himself considerably.
“Do you even realize what you’re doing?!”
“I do.”
“No, you don’t! You have to stop him!”
“I know!!”
Selena shouted back.
Her expression mirrored Elodie’s.
“…If we let him go, he’ll die. I may not know the details, but I can tell just by looking at this situation.”
Frondier’s death. And Elodie trying to prevent it.
From Selena’s perspective, there was no other reason for their confrontation.
Elodie retorted.
“Then you know what you have to do! Move! You have to stop Frondier!”
“…I can’t do that.”
“Are you insane?! Are you trying to send Frondier to his death?!”
“…”
Selena’s words caught in her throat. Her body trembled.
She bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks.
Drop by drop, tears fell onto Elodie.
Selena slowly opened her trembling lips and spoke.
“Yes.”
“…You…”
“By sending Master Frondier to his death…”
Selena’s voice was choked with emotion.
—I will follow him, even to the ends of hell.
A sigh that seemed to relinquish everything.
“I will go there too.”