Chapter 55: Switching Targets

Watching its flaming body collapse to the ground, even continuing to burn despite the lack of oxygen and sand trying to suffocate it.

Destroying the altar had been easy after the creature’s death; the only annoying part was finding it first.

The great masses of sand were truly annoying, so he had decided to burn them into molten glass; sadly, due to its low quality, he could not look through it.

It would’ve been amazing, so simply, to see through the ground and know where the altar is.

Instead, he summoned a tornado to blow away what remained of the sand until he found the metal entrance.

Rushing through the temple, the traps once more shatter at his barrier.

Cutting open his palm, his blood filled the altar, draining his mana.

As he blew up the entire place before the runes could catch him inside forever.

Being able to escape just in time, he sat down on the sandy ground outside.

His breath was heavy as he fell backwards, tired and drained of energy, as he could already see the morning sun slowly rising in the distance.

He had to return fast or else Merency might get suspicious of his disappearance.

If only the search had been faster, he would’ve been able to clear the second one as well.

Now he had to find a way to do it anyway, a clone maybe? No, he moved that idea away.

There would be too many people watching him fight the diamond creature, and alone he shouldn’t be able to beat it easily.

He had to find a way to do it without getting seen too.

But first he had to return; standing up, he sprinted with all the power he had left back towards the cliff.

Arriving just before the first sunlight entered the cave, Merency was still deeply asleep.

Steven threw himself to the ground by his sleeping place, tired.

Falling asleep just as quickly he didn’t even have time to dream until he was woken once more.

The slightly to loud movements Merency rolling on her improvised blankets next to her scream about probably some insect.

"Steven, move it away." She yelled as Steven wanted to hit his head hard against the stone until one of them cracked.

Slowly rising to his legs, he just stared at her, tired, but her scared face let him sigh.

Moving over towards her, "It’s just an animal, nothing more." As he finally found what she saw.

He froze on the spot. It looked like a small insect, but it wasn’t. No, it’s made completely out of metal.

Moving like lightning, he smashed it to bits. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He yelled, already running in circles.

"What’s wrong, Steven? Is it poisonous?" She stared at him worriedly, moving only further away from the machine.

"It’s no insect; it’s a golem, a mechanical one to be exact." He answered, still cursing under his breath.

As realisation slowly grew on Merency’s face, "June? Where did she get the right parts for one?"

"I don’t know, but we have to move now or we will be in danger every night." He spoke, slightly hinting at another choice.

"Who said there isn’t another one of those things around, or maybe they are already following us with Lucy’s skills?" She sounded only more worried, staring into every dark corner.

"Well, there is another method; we just have to find them and gain some points." He spoke while a small smile formed on his lips.

Their move worked perfectly with his plans to get them out of the event today, and it’s not like they left them another choice.

Merency only hesitantly nodded, probably still thinking about her last duel against a diamond-class member.

"You’re right... But maybe moving would be better... With Edward and Lumiel still hunting everyone." The uncertainty in her voice was strong enough for him to question himself.

He had completely forgotten about those kids; if they actually found Lucy’s group and got them eliminated, his plans and the end could be ruined.

They all need to be in a decent condition when he finishes the last altar, or else who’s going to stop his actions?

Should he order Elizabeth to take them back? Or warn Lucy in some way? There just wasn’t enough time for any plan.

So he just had to be faster than both of them, meaning he would bring an end to the entire event today.

Grabbing Merency’s hand, he threw down the cliff. "We have no time to wait!" as he followed her down.

He had to trick Merency towards the last diamond-class monster for them to win.

If he can defeat it and destroy the altar after its activation, he only has to bring everyone together in a grand fight.

Edward’s and Lucy’s group should be able to hold out until he finishes with the last altar.

Meaning when whatever he is helping awakes, five diamond-class members will be there to hold it off.

Luring Merency in was the only direction he hadn’t been under the promise of finding a new base.

"I would feel their mana if they got too close, so we just have to move fast until they lose their sight of us."

Merency seemed to agree by following him silently.

In just a few minutes they had covered a great distance.

As he could hear Merency’s heavy breathing behind him.

But luckily they had already reached their target.

A fierce white stone formation, similar to a castle, was blocking their way.

It fit perfectly to where the others had been.

But sadly the monster wasn’t there anymore.

Instead, he could feel many different great masses.

It was the meetup point of the student groups.

To reach his target, they had to fight a whole army of students.

He could see Merency’s face turn pale.

But Steven was already yelling.

"Come out, small fries. Weren’t you searching for us?"

As every mana inside seemed to turn active and hostile.