The Myriad Potioner knew his fate was sealed when he found himself in Eren's trap.
Sebastian's mind wandered back to the time when he, along with House Slughorn, House Remus, Demonmir's faction, and the Escalong Guild, had schemed to ambush Eren. Their plan had involved a large number of rankers and aimed to ensnare Eren in a meticulously crafted trap.
In comparison, Eren's own trap was deceptively simple, relying on his target's desperation. It was a stark reminder to Sebastian of Eren's prowess in setting traps, highlighting the shoddy work they had done in their own attempt.
Eren wasted no time in executing his next move. With a swift motion, he activated the array trap, simultaneously binding Sebastian's movements with restrictive runes. The runes slithered across Sebastian's body like serpents, constricting his muscles and rendering him immobile. Only when the debuff potions took effect, causing Sebastian to lose consciousness, did the restrictive runes dissipate. Unconscious and at peace, Sebastian floated atop the River Lithe, cradled by its gentle waves. The array trap continued to isolate him from the water, keeping his body afloat.
Alephee emerged from her pendent abode within a pendant, observing Sebastian with a hint of amusement. She chuckled before speaking, her voice laced with amusement.
"He appears so peaceful, doesn't he? It seems he needed someone to lull him to sleep like this."
On the other side of Sebastian's motionless form, Eren stood, his gaze fixed upon Sebastian's face. He narrowed his eyes, his tone turning grim as he spoke.
"This old fart would have posed a considerable challenge if not for this setup. But now that we have captured him, I intend to strip him of everything he has achieved throughout his long life, starting with his Ability."
Eren's emerald green eyes gleamed with a cold intensity as he regarded Sebastian. The butcher studied Sebastian ever since he met the old man in the city of New Beginning and was threatened by him.
It was true that Eren wasn't expecting Sebastian to be present at the scene. But he had bee preparing to face Sebastian for a very long time. After all, the butcher was deeply impressed by the Myriad Potioner's Ability and coveted it for himself.
Additionally, Sebastian's vast experiences as a potioner held immense value. Eren sought to absorb those experiences, making them his own through devouring and diligent practice. With knowledge and experiences gained from Sebastian, he believed he could finally pass Minerva's test and claim her complete inheritance.
Eren and Alephee engaged in a brief discussion about their next course of action when a ripple in the water-element barrier caught their attention, carried by distinct sound waves. Eren discerned the source—a distant explosion.
"Hmm, it appears Jiana has done her part," Alephee remarked, accurately predicting the origin of the explosion. Eren nodded, receiving confirmation from Jiana at that moment. Instead of simply raiding the potions, she had taken the entire potion bank in haste and detonated the Brewmaster's Bounty.
Nina played her role as Birmond's savior, rescuing him from the grim fate of being caught in the explosion. Birmond, already suffering from a backlash, was delirious and unaware of the events unfolding around him. In his confusion, he mistook the explosion as the ship's self-destruction protocol, triggered by Sebastian.
Everything had unfolded according to Eren's meticulously devised plan, formulated in a relatively short time. However, the game was not yet won—it required a well-executed finale. Therefore, Eren decided to expedite the next stage of his plan.
"Take him with you. Let's rendezvous at our place," Eren instructed, his voice carrying an air of urgency. Alephee nodded in understanding, raising her hand and snapping her fingers.
In an instant, Sebastian's body was ensconced within an ethereal crystal. The crystal began to shrink, transforming into a palm-sized artifact. Alephee fashioned it into a bracelet, adorning her right hand, and gazed at Eren, a mischievous smile gracing her lips as she reminded him.
"Alright, but don't keep me waiting for too long."
Returning Alephee's smile, Eren nodded in agreement. In the blink of an eye, Alephee vanished from her position, even as the water-element barrier remained intact.
Eren knew that the current circumstances would hinder his ability to fully utilize Sebastian's gains. The detonation of the Brewmaster's Bounty signaled the end of their mission, and Birmond and the others would soon arrive to investigate.
Thus, Eren desired a secluded location where he could digest Sebastian's accomplishments undisturbed. He needed time to absorb Sebastian's experiences and elemental attainments. All so that he could raise his chances of getting the Myriad Potioner's Ability in one swift try.
With that in mind, he instructed Alephee to carry Sebastian and rendezvous with him in the city of White Raven. Only there could he attempt to claim the full extent of the Myriad Potioner's experiences.
***
The barrier dissipated, revealing Eren's solitary figure holding a severed head—the head of Silas. Silas's body was nowhere to be found, leaving a sense of eerie mystery in the air.
"Grimdawn!" Rhea's voice pierced through the bloody atmosphere as she swiftly closed the distance between them, the rest of the team following closely behind. Eren turned to face her, a subtle smile playing on his lips, exuding confidence. "It seems we've accomplished our goal," he stated with assurance.
Rhea, her curiosity piqued, surveyed their surroundings with her mana sense, her gaze shifting from Eren to the empty space. Confusion laced her voice as she voiced her doubts. "Where is the Myriad Potioner? Did you...?"
Eren nodded solemnly, letting out a sigh before responding.
"Indeed. Keeping the Myriad Potioner as a hostage would have been too dangerous. I had to ensure his elimination." Raising Silas's severed head before Rhea and her team, he continued, "This is the only memento I managed to salvage from the aftermath."
Rhea's eyes widened with a mixture of fascination and disbelief as she gazed upon Silas's severed head. Blood continued to drip from the lifeless head, staining the river water crimson with its relentless drops.
As Rhea reflected on the events that had transpired, she couldn't help but be astounded by the brief yet intense confrontation between two title holders. It was a clash that defied expectations, with an Expert ranker effortlessly taking down a Master ranker without any apparent assistance.
The enigmatic figure at the center of it all, Eren Idril, remained shrouded in mystery for a lot of rankers involved in this mission.
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