I felt a chill the moment my eyes met the Cult Leader's.
Staring into his eyes felt like looking into an eternally swirling abyss of darkness. Still, I held my ground. His condescending smile and cold gaze couldn't move me.
After all, even though it was something one had to dig very deeply to find, there was still one Arcana missing. Even I hadn't yet discovered its location.
'[The World]... He doesn't have it yet! It's not over!'
According to what I knew, the Nether Cult needed all the Arcanas to utilize a Spell that required their union. As long as one was missing, it couldn't function.
"Am I really at a loss? I don't know how you gathered those counterfeit Arcanas, but there's still one missing." I responded with a daring smile, but my instincts were anything but confident.
'Even without one more Arcana, he's too powerful now! He's like a god!'
"Oh? It seems you do not know. I must have overestimated your knowledge." The Cult Leader grinned at me.
'W-what?!'
"Jared… there are 22 Arcanas indeed, but… you only need 21 of them to summon the final piece." Karlia whispered to me.
'E-eh?!' This was the first I had heard of it.
"He has all twenty-one. And I can tell that they're genuine. He's going to summon the final piece and fulfil the goals of the Cult." She added.
How could this happen? It seemed I had to eat my words.
'It's… my loss…?!"
I still couldn't understand why, but I knew it was. What was happening right before my eyes was proof of that.
"He's going to fulfil the goals of the Cult? Not if I can help it!" I smiled nervously.
~Count me in!~ Karlia's voice resonated within me, and I was grateful for her support.
"Your pathetic resolve sickens me. Clinging onto hope when there is none… how amusing." The Cult Leader's words struck a chord within me, but I did not let it discourage me.
"I have all 21 Arcanas. The power to alter space, time, life, death, power, and so much more. Yet, you think you can stand against me?"
When the Cult Leader put it that way, he made a good point. There was no natural reason for me to even have a sliver of a chance at beating him.
Besides… even the Martial Blade God was present, and I doubted he would let us ruin a plan he endorsed. All in all, things had turned really shitty.
"I am surprised, Karlia. I thought of you as one of the most loyal to our cause. Yet, when you were so close to receiving your reward… you betrayed us. How foolish of you."
I glanced at Karlia to see the kind of reaction she would make, but to my surprise, she didn't seem all too disappointed or regretful.
"I no longer need the Nether Cult. My wish has already been fulfilled." Her response was surprising, but so was the way she looked in my direction when she made the statement.
"I see. While I do not care to understand what you just said, it is rather unfortunate for you. You, the Singularity, and every single one of our enemies will perish on this very day."
An immense pressure surged from him, causing me to tremble in response. It was as simple as a gust of wind, and it didn't even seem like the Cult Leader had done anything, yet… I felt the overwhelming power down to my bones!
"No, Jared. Calm yourself!" I gritted my teeth as I stared at the enemy and his Arcanas.
My brain went into overdrive and I wondered how exactly I was going to achieve victory in this situation.
'I could use Spellcraft to resonate with the Arcanas. That seems like my only choice. If I leak enough Aether into the air, I can create enough of a connection between myself and the Arcanas in his possession.'
If it worked, I would be able to share the powers he possessed. Even though he would have a bulk of the power, I could gain the advantage in skill. If Karlia could just hold the Martial Blade God down for some time, then perhaps it would be worth a shot.
Of course, this plan was not without its problems.
'It all hinges on the assumption that I am more skilful than the Cult Leader, or that Karlia can hold the Martial Blade God all by herself—especially with what is at stake.'
Honestly, I was so outnumbered and outmatched that this situation felt hopeless. Aloe Vida still seemed to be recoiling from the shock, even though her body was completely recovered.
I couldn't even count on her to help me, considering that she didn't have her Arcana anymore. Perhaps she could help support Karlia, but wouldn't she be more of a liability?
'Damn… if only I had more allies with me!'
"Oh? Looks like we have some visitors…" I suddenly heard the Martial Blade God speak, and his gaze was directed behind me—far beyond the crater.
"JAAAAARRRRREEEEEEEEDDDDDD!!!"
Far up in the sky were a bunch of people who rushed at me. Their bodies were glowing with Aether, and I could tell that they were moving at max speed based on the amount of distance they were covering.
"Tch. More insects." The Cult Leader clicked his tongue.
Almost as soon as he said this, the cavalry arrived. To my surprise… the very thing I wished for suddenly landed in the crater and surrounded me.
Allies!
Jane Ursula and a good number of faces I recognized all gathered around me. Even Ciara, Edward, and Lemi were present. They had most likely been found by Jane's team and brought along.
'I don't see Elrich and Maria. Could it be… NO! Now is not the time to think about that!' I chastised myself.
Merely seeing these people converge around me was more than enough to push any distracting thoughts from my head and instead make me focus on the most important thing at the moment.
The Nether Cult!
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[A/N]
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