Chapter 619: Crippling Reliance

As his apathetic heart was filled with warmth, Arthur watched his friend emerge from the illusion and run forward toward him. However, it seemed that the moment Oriole reaches Arthur, the seer would be unable to see an accurate future.

The monsters roared as they threw themselves at Oriole and Arthur alike, determined to keep their distance. Arthur raised his dagger again, allowing the denaturing sharpness to explode like a flame.

"This is the end of your plans, Sier. Give up now!" shouted Arthur as he dodged a giant monster before slashing at him, but the three-headed hound turned out to be a mirage.

"He is on your right!" shouted Oriole while sliding down another illusion, barely dodging the talons of a fire eagle.

Arthur slashed toward his right and saw the dagger tear apart the fabric of s.p.a.ce, including the arena. A violet light exploded as it covered his body, turning his vision into one of darkness.

"I must separate the two bugs first," said the voice, empty and decisive. "This is not an obstacle but a blessing. I get to show you how much this timeline is different by killing your friend."

"That is going too far, even for you, Sier."

"Killing the grandmaster from earlier was also going too far, but here we are. I am a murderer now."

"I will never forgive you if you harm Ori," said Arthur, with eyes br.i.m.m.i.n.g with killing intent. "I will kill you if you even think about it."

"Do you think we are playing here, Arthur?" asked the seer. "Do you think I have been trying to tease you with my spear all this time? You have to accept this fact. Death is a part of existence too, and you encompa.s.s all of that."

"And I vow this, Sier," said Arthur as he looked around the darkness while switching his grip to reverse. "If you dare harm anyone I care about, then I will tear your skin apart!" shouted Arthur as he stabbed toward the ground, and the golden mana exploded from his dagger.

The darkness began to crack like gla.s.s under Arthur"s bloodshot eyes. Then, as the illusion was destroyed, Sier appeared in front of him without his mask. Instead, a smile was on his face, covered with messy hair.

"You made me do this," said Sier as he raised his arm, which had Oriole"s neck in hand. Ori struggled to break free, and his blood was splashing on the ground. "Your actions have led to this, Arthur."

"...let go of him, now!" shouted Arthur as he rushed forward, but Sier simply disappeared and reappeared elsewhere. Arthur ran after him again, but the same thing happened.

"It is no use. I can rearrange where I am for you, even if I remain in the same position. Chasing me is futile, Arthur. I am elusive."

"...for a guardian who sees everything, you have nothing but illusions," muttered Arthur as he aimed his dagger at him. "Let go of Ori!"

"Truth is buried deep within the illusion," smiled Sier. "I can see everything that allows me to recreate a visual of them. A side product of my eyes and a fool"s version of your creations."

"I said, let go!" shouted Arthur as he saw Oriole"s face turn blue. His mana exploded around him, accompanied by countless runes coming out of his hand. "Release him!" roared Arthur as he slashed at Sier, but the attack simply destroyed the two figures.

"You are simply wasting that mana of yours," smiled Sier as he appeared behind Arthur, who was growing tired. "I allowed this fool into my illusion to use him as a hostage. Nothing is as effective as... a real death, right?"

"Don"t f.u.c.king dare!" Arthur raised his dagger high, ready to unleash a ma.s.sive attack that would consume all of his mana. He was betting everything on this to destroy this s.p.a.ce, even though the odds weren"t in his favor.

"That"s right, allow rage to consume you. Be no different than I am, Arthur," said Sier as the violet lights twirled in his eyes. "All or nothing, right?"

Arthur snapped out of his desperation as he heard those words. This was not a bet he could take with Oriole"s life being at stake. The mana dissipated like smoke from his body as if a flame had turned off.

There was no hint of mana anymore in his body, and Arthur simply breathed out. His eyes lost focus as he allowed his other senses to grow.

"...what are you doing?" asked Sier with a frown. "Have you given up on saving this friend of yours?"

"It is the opposite," muttered Arthur. "I allowed my emotions to disturb me, and I relied heavily on mana. Your words earlier made me realize that the true bane of illusions is perception."

"And do you think yours outdoes mine?" laughed Sier as Oriole"s struggle was growing weaker in his hand. "Your friend"s life is leaving his body. Are you sure that you have time to try other methods?"

"Your persistent pushing to make me lose control is why I will do the opposite," said Arthur. "I will destroy the emotions, not myself."

Sier was silent as he stared at him. Arthur can see the whiteness in the sandy skin of the guardian before a smile appears on his face. Then, Arthur moved forward in a different direction.

"Are you running away?" shouted Sier as Arthur ran in a different direction from him. "Then, say goodbye to your friend!"

Despite his senses telling him that Oriole and Sier were there, Arthur ran in a different direction. If his perception stat were 10, he would have believed his senses. However, it was over 300 now, giving him another gift.

"I was too absorbed in using my mana and runes for everything I forgot about relying on my body," thought Arthur as he rushed toward an empty spot. "My physical stats are more than just a number that gets higher, but a representation of my body"s potential."

Arthur was running without factual knowledge but a feeling he liked to call insight. A feeling told him that his friend and enemy were in this direction, and his body followed.

After he stopped using his runes, Arthur"s hand began to return to normal. This was a reversible process that made him materialize once again in Alka. Then, like a dancer, Arthur jumped and landed a kick on the arena.

An illusion was an illusion, and a s.p.a.ce was a s.p.a.ce. These two things were very different. If the illusions can harm Arthur, he can strike back. His boot landed on the arena, breaking it apart and sending a deep gush across it. The ground began to break even as it tried to be restored, but the seer had used up most of his mana.

"This is the real difference between us, Sier," muttered Arthur as he landed in front of the giant hole he created in the arena. "I can fight without mana, but can you?"

The arena was breaking apart, and it revealed a figure standing there. Oriole appeared as the layer of illusion was broken apart by the physical attack, his body riddled with wounds. However, even with his face covered in blood, the alchemist smiled.

"I knew you would find me, somehow," said the alchemist as he fell face forward. Arthur rushed to support him, preventing Ori from falling into the destroyed arena. "I guess... I am truly... a fool," said Oriole as he leaned on Arthur"s arm.

"Don"t talk, and let me heal you," said Arthur as his fingers drew the Heal-IV rune. Then, before he inserted the rune into Oriole, the alchemist stopped him.

"I can... heal on... my own..." said Oriole as he coughed. "I need you to... use a different rune. Read... my memories," the alchemist then began coughing.

Arthur didn"t understand the reason for his friend"s demand, but he obeyed nonetheless. A different rune appeared in his hand, which created high-speed information communication.

[Telepathy-IV]

As the rune entered Oriole"s body and made him the target, the alchemist wasted no time sharing the memories of a conversation he shared with Gala.

Arthur"s eyes widened as he saw the witch through Oriole"s eyes, and a second was all it took for him to know everything she wanted to say. The sheer magnitude of the changes happening in this timeline was terrifying.

"It seems my actions brought the end closer," muttered Arthur as his eyes drew crescent while looking at his friend. "Now, let me heal your wounds."

"As if I would stand idle," said a voice behind them. Sier was standing several meters away from them, with his spear in hand. "It seems that even the outsider can do more than reliance."

"...this is over, Sier," said Arthur without looking at the guardian. "This battle is over, and you have achieved your desired outcome. I spent a lot of time fighting in this d.a.m.ned place that Kera must be destroyed by now."

"Are you asking for mercy?" smiled Sier. "This is the fate you wanted: to be haunted by every vessel. Unfortunately, many more of them are waiting to find you, and I will make sure I guide them."

"I don"t care. This fight is over," Arthur raised his hand to write the Heal-IV rune.

"I will never let you," said Sier as he rushed forward with his spear, piercing Arthur"s heart. Although he knew it would heavily injure him, Arthur was determined to heal Oriole.

"There is no need, friend," smiled the alchemist as his voice appeared in Arthur"s head. "I cannot be another person to waste your time. I made plans to survive, so please leave and save your family."

Light exploded from Oriole"s chest and engulfed Arthur as he said so. Then, s.p.a.ce began to compress around him, making Arthur realize he was being teleported. As he drifted further and further away, Oriole"s voice appeared in his head again.

"Please believe in me, Arthur. I will be fine, so go and save your family."