Chapter 194: How Can Lances Summon Be So Strong?

Chapter 194: How Can Lance's Summon Be So Strong?

Inside the restaurant, time seemed to stand still amid the standoff as the storm raged furiously outside.

With every flash of lightning, a brilliant blue-white glow washed over the interior, bathing everyone's faces alternately in violent radiance and the deep, engulfing darkness that followed. Then, thunder roared like an enraged beast, causing the windows and doors to rattle violently as the sound reverberated through the restaurant.

The storm swept across the street. Raindrops hammered against the glass as if an army was poised to storm the building. Water streamed down the panes, at times blurring the view outside. The world beyond was shut out, leaving only those inside the restaurant.

Hyperion was caught completely off guard, though an instinctive sense of imminent danger surged through her.

Fenix had been seated at a table by the aisle she had just passed, and he had moved with lightning speed. His blade sought the most vulnerable point at her neck. This was the very same shortsword that had already twice come close to claiming her life.

However, just as he lunged toward her, an overwhelming pressure locked him in place, rendering him unable to advance even an inch. It was not a physical restraint, but instead a bone-deep chill, like a warning rising from the depths of hell.

Instinctively tracing the source of the threat, his gaze locked with what he thought was the Poet of Boundless Love. Her eyes were a deep, icy gold. In that instant, it was as if he were staring into the face of Death itself.

Beyond mere indifference, her eyes burned with an unpredictable, furious rage. Though the Poet's movements appeared calm and deliberate, she was, in fact, far swifter than Fenix.

She gently drew Hyperion to her side, shielding her. Then, with a simple movement, her fingers clamped onto the tip of the blade, bringing Fenix's attack to an abrupt, forceful halt.

Fenix could feel the crushing pressure radiating from the Poet. No matter how hard he gripped the hilt, his weapon remained frozen in mid-air, unable to so much as tremble. This meant that, in terms of raw power alone, he and his opponent were in completely different leagues.

How can Lance's summon possibly be this strong?!

Fenix simply couldn't fathom it. A summon that had appeared to be merely Tier 1 just moments ago had transformed into a terrifying entity rivaling a Great Demon. His heart raced, sweat drenched his brow, and his muscles trembled uncontrollably. The sheer terror he felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced in his life.

Suddenly, multiple curses surged through the sword hilt. They not only inflicted excruciating pain along every vein and artery in his body, but also sapped his strength entirely, reducing him to a state akin to that of a critically ill invalid.

There was definitely something wrong with this Poet! And Lance was even more suspect!

Fenix tore his terrified gaze away from the Poet and frantically scanned the restaurant, searching for an escape route. Unfortunately, he could barely manage a single step.

Just as he tried to struggle, he felt a wave of immense mental pressure crash down upon him. As a brief moment of dizziness hit him, he was forced heavily to his knees. The force was so crushing it made it hard to breathe. It felt as though a massive anvil had been dropped onto his legs.

Talia stood before him. Her expression was indifferent as she lightly raised a single index finger, yet the look in her eyes was enough to chill Fenix to the bone. To her, stopping this Rank 5 assassin and locking down his movements was no harder than snapping her fingers or swatting away a fly.

Fenix had completely lost his former confidence. His face was deathly pale, and his eyes revealed a deep, paralyzing fear. His opponent's power far exceeded his imagination. The gap between them was like that of an ant against a giant.

"You thought you could hurt her?" Every word the person before him spoke sounded as if she were dismissing a piece of trash.

Just what exactly are you...?

When Fenix tried to utter those exact thoughts, he felt a searing, knife-like pain in his throat. No matter how hard he strained, he couldn't make a sound.

Immediately, Talia used a mental spell to render him completely unconscious. The magical effect of Grand Puppet Theater then dissipated along with his consciousness. The people in the restaurant looked dazed, glancing around at one another. They had no idea what had just happened, or why everyone had suddenly stood up.

"Huh? Miss Tali, what just happened?" The waitress looked at Talia and Hyperion, who were standing in the aisle, as if she had just woken up from a dream.

Talia calmly explained, "That clap of thunder was very loud. It really startled everyone."

Unnoticed by the patrons in the restaurant, Fenix had been swiftly dragged away to the second-floor storeroom by one of Talia's summoned creatures. That room was usually vacant, so she would just have to borrow it from Boss Cat for the day.

She wasn't particularly skilled at interrogation, but a certain "absolute scumbag" would be arriving soon to handle the aftermath.

"Oh, I see." The waitress glanced at the customers and decided that explanation made perfect sense.

The restaurant quickly returned to normal operations, as if nothing had ever happened.

Talia briefly reflected on the Basic Etiquette spell she had just used, thinking that Lance's spell inventions were indeed quite useful.

Of course, she wasn't as inept as Lance. After all, she possessed a high affinity for mental magic and great spellcasting proficiency, so she had mastered this Tier 1 mental spell the moment Lance explained the underlying principles. She could cast it without even using an enchanted card.

Then, Talia suddenly shook her head. She noticed Hyperion gazing at her with an expression of pure adoration. She couldn't lead the child astray. Talia let go of Hyperion.

Her tone remained flat and emotionless, yet earnest as she said, "Sorry, I think I won't use that spell anymore."

Hyperion shook her head, exclaiming with a look of genuine awe and excitement, "No, Miss Tali, you looked so cool when you used that spell! You had the majestic air of a monarch commanding subjects to kneel. For a moment there, I almost wondered if you were a noble empress."

Although she had only just recovered from her brief moment of shock, she felt absolutely no fear with Miss Tali protecting her. It was a sense of security she hadn't even felt when her father was by her side.

"...Is that so?" Talia clearly remembered that whenever Lance cast those two spells, he came across as an utter scumbag. Could it be that the same spell created a different impression depending on who cast it?

Looking at Hyperion, Talia said, "If you'd like, I can teach you a few spells."

Given that she was Iphatia's daughter, Hyperion's magical aptitude was bound to be exceptional, especially in mental and curse magic. However, she might not excel at human magic. Demonic magic would likely suit her better.

Talia recalled that Lance had mentioned to Hyperion that Miss Tali was a scholar with some knowledge of demonic runes, so teaching her some low-tier demonic magic shouldn't be a problem.

Hyperion nodded earnestly, over and over again. "I would love to learn from you, Miss Tali."

Talia nodded in return, then rubbed her stomach with an impassive expression. "Let's eat first."

She had been laying alongside Hyperion for the whole morning without eating a thing. She was utterly famished.