Chapter 270

Volume 2 Ch13 : It Must Not Go Out of Control

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍that moment, the bath had been drained dry. On the floor of the empty pool and the surrounding dry marble, Ryan and Iruya had already used specially prepared conductive magic dust to carefully inscribe a complex and orderly composite Magic Circle.

At ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the center of the Magic Circle were two nested rings, each corresponding to the positions of the Gospel cores beneath Ryan’s shoulder blades. From them stretched countless fine lines and runes, linking to the two Philosopher’s Stone fragments placed at separate points, as well as to several auxiliary nodes meant to stabilize the energy and prevent leakage.

Under ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the soft glow of the bathroom’s magical lamps, the entire Magic Circle gave off a faint, steady blue radiance.

“Are ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you ready?” Iruya stood at a designated node along the outer edge of the Magic Circle. She had changed into a soft, light-colored outfit that allowed easy movement. Her black hair had been simply tied back, and her expression was focused and calm.

At ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍her fingertips, tiny motes of magical light flowed and shimmered, faintly echoing the Magic Circle on the floor.

Ryan ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had already stepped into the core of the Magic Circle and sat cross-legged in the center of one of the rings.

He had removed his outer coat and wore only a thin black short-sleeved shirt, exposing his smoothly defined arms.

He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, running through every step of the energy-guiding process and every warning Serandil had left behind. Then he opened his eyes, looked at Iruya, and nodded.

“Begin.” His voice rang out in the spacious bathroom with unusual clarity and calm.

Iruya drew a deep breath. Light flowed through her violet eyes as she raised both hands, her ten fingers spreading like blossoming orchids. With the elegant and precise methods of the elves, she began guiding her own Mana into the node beneath her feet, carefully establishing a connection with the two Philosopher’s Stone fragments.

A pale golden glow slowly lit up from the fragments.

Vast, incomparably pure Mana, mixed with a spiritual power as deep as the sea, began to be drawn out little by little. Following the preset paths of the Magic Circle, it flowed toward Ryan at the center like two gentle yet unstoppable streams.

Inside the bathroom, the air seemed to have solidified. The only sounds were the deep hum of the Magic Circle in motion and Iruya’s increasingly quick, focused breathing.

The process of stripping away the outer impurities of the Philosopher’s Stone fragments was far more difficult and dangerous than they had expected.

The two fragments, one red and one green, contained immense and pure energy. But their source—the two twisted creatures in the ruins, with their strange and unnatural powers—had never been clean to begin with.

Ryan could now say with near certainty that those two creatures, including the first swift, ghostlike monster they had encountered in the forest, were relics or byproducts of Serandil’s thousand-year-long experiments.

Within them had likely been forcibly inscribed simplified Gospel arrays of different types, perhaps even in different orders and combinations. On top of that, they had almost certainly been infused with alien bloodlines or power traits derived from Law-Devouring Ancient Dragons after some form of processing.

As a result, besides the most central crystallizations of Mana and spiritual power, the fragments were also tangled through with vast amounts of mixed, chaotic, and even corrosive residual energy and bloodline imprints—the contamination left behind by failed experimental bodies.

Serandil’s knowledge did include methods for refining and using the Philosopher’s Stone, but those methods were based on an ideal-state Philosopher’s Stone.

These two fragments clearly did not fall into that category.

Standing at her assigned node, Iruya kept her eyes closed. Fine beads of sweat now covered her beautiful face, sliding down her smooth cheeks.

Behind her, the hair that had originally been disguised as black began to stir without wind. Strand by strand, the false color visibly faded away, revealing the pure silver-white of the elven royal line, like moonlight pouring loose across the night.

Her small human ears lengthened and sharpened as well, restoring the graceful contours unique to the elves.

At that moment, she revealed her true elven form without reservation, drawing upon the pure Mana and vast spiritual power of her ancient bloodline.

Her ten fingers moved like butterflies weaving through blossoms, like the tracks of stars themselves, forming one intricate and mysterious elven hand seal after another with astonishing speed and precision.

With each completed seal, a silver thread of Mana flecked with star-like points shot from her fingertips and sank precisely into the corresponding node of the Magic Circle on the floor.

The light of the entire composite Magic Circle brightened and dimmed in response, like a precisely operating energy furnace and filter.

The power of the Magic Circle first acted upon the two suspended Philosopher’s Stone fragments.

Visible to the naked eye, wisps of dark red, ink-green, and even ominous violet-black mist-like energy began to peel away from the surfaces of the fragments. The moment these impurities touched the Purification Runes built into the Magic Circle, they let out a teeth-gritting hiss and were annihilated and purified.

But there seemed to be some stubborn core inside the fragments that resisted the purification and continuously released fresh impurities.

Iruya’s brows drew tighter and tighter together, her silver-white lashes trembling faintly.

She could feel the stubborn madness inside the fragments.

These were not merely energy impurities. They were also mixed with the spiritual imprints of certain twisted lifeforms. The difficulty of stripping them away far exceeded expectations, and the demands it placed on the precision of her spiritual control and Mana manipulation had reached a shocking level.

Second by second, time slipped past.

The hair at Iruya’s brow was already soaked through with sweat, clinging damply to her smooth forehead.

The speed of her hand seals did not slow in the slightest, but the glow at her fingertips had begun to show faint signs of instability.

Just as she felt herself nearing her limit—

Crack... crack.

Two almost inaudible sounds, like fine glass shattering, rang out.

The outermost shell of the two Philosopher’s Stone fragments hovering above the Magic Circle—that stubborn shell mixed with the imprints of alien bloodlines—finally split under the combined pressure of Iruya’s sustained, precise magical suppression and the purifying force of the Magic Circle. Then it completely collapsed and vaporized.

The moment that shell was gone, the incomparably pure, vast, and tightly compressed Mana and spiritual power within the fragments erupted like a volcano suppressed for ten thousand years.

BOOM!

It was not an actual sound, but rather a pure shockwave of energy that burst outward from the fragments at once.

The air in the entire bathroom instantly turned thick and heavy. The invisible pressure became so great that the hard marble floor let out a groan as though it could not bear the strain, and fine cracks appeared across it.

The magical lamps along the walls flickered violently, brightening and dimming in rapid succession. The stabilizing and protective runes Iruya had just inscribed along the edge of the pool flashed frantically, their light wavering as though they might collapse at any second.

Iruya let out a muffled groan, her delicate body shuddering violently. A thin line of blood even seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Merely being brushed by the aura of that eruption had been enough to make her blood and breath churn wildly, and even caused the flow of Mana within her body to falter for an instant.

A jolt of horror ran through her heart.

If the energy inside those two fragments, each no bigger than a fist, were released completely without restraint, it would be enough to wipe this entire residence—and a vast swath of the surrounding district—off the map altogether.

The level of energy they contained far exceeded her original estimate.