ch29

[Chapter 29 - The Villain and the Black Flame]

Cherubim completely surrounded Evelyn. Blue light pulsed from the circuits etched beneath their skin, like a heartbeat. The radiance flowing through their veins grew increasingly intense, eventually erupting from their bodies.

Clang-

A sharp metallic sound rang out. The Cherubim's arms transformed, reconfiguring into various weapon forms.

"The fifth element, transcending the other elements. Behold this infinite energy. It is a new horizon for our Hermetic Order. A completely different dimension from the previous incomplete Cherubim."

Evelyn raised her hand without a word. Black Flame blazed more intensely at her fingertips.

"Eliminate the worthless asset. Data collection can be minimized."

At Lazar's command, the Cherubim moved in unison.

The first Cherubim, equipped with a blade, lunged toward Evelyn. The blade, enveloped in blue ether, sliced through the air.

Evelyn moved a single step, perfectly evading the attack. The blade grazed the ends of her hair as it passed.

In that instant, the Black Flame that bloomed from her fingertips brushed against the Cherubim's shoulder.

Kwaaaak!

The Black Flame spread from the point of contact to its entire body. The Cherubim screamed, instantly turning to ash.

"The destructive power of the Black Flame remains. But it is merely a product of chance. A phenomenon that cannot be reproduced is not science, but superstition."

Evelyn leaped into the air, using the pillars to move upward. She quickly assessed her surroundings.

The steel frame of the ceiling, the positions of the pillars, the arrangement of the enemies, and the glass bottles and metal tanks placed in every corner of the factory. It was clear that Lazar had set up a temporary laboratory.

"Avir Efer, a legendary Hermetic Order agent who has been active for centuries. But in the end, you are merely a consumable for a higher purpose. You no longer have any research value. Your collectible value has also decreased, like a useless, old-fashioned toy."

Lazar gestured. Two Cherubim with hand cannons attacked simultaneously. Beams of blue ether flew toward Evelyn.

Evelyn ducked, kicked off the floor, and rolled forward. The beams pierced the spot where she had been, striking the experimental equipment behind her.

Glass beakers shattered, and liquids with red and golden hues spilled onto the floor. Containers holding alchemical catalysts bubbled and melted.

"You stupid vermin! Do you even know how precious that is! A single drop of catalyst is worth hundreds of times more than you!"

"Blaming others after giving the order yourself, you're an incompetent commander."

Evelyn did not miss the confusion. She condensed Black Flame between her index and middle fingers. In an instant, the black energy transformed into the shape of a sharp dagger.

She hurled the Black Flame dagger at the Cherubim holding the hand cannon. The black blade sliced through the air, accurately piercing the wrist of the blue-glowing Cherubim.

"Kuaaaak!"

With the Cherubim's scream, the arm overflowing with ether turned to ash and crumbled.

Next, a Cherubim wielding a massive ether shield charged toward her.

Evelyn aimed for the side instead of a head-on confrontation. She pointed her finger at the one-centimeter gap between the shield and the Cherubim's body, concentrating the Black Flame at a single point and forcing it into that small gap.

The Cherubim melted from the inside out. Even ether was useless against the highly concentrated Black Flame.

"Hoo…"

Evelyn paused to catch her breath.

"Already tired, Alpha? Disappointing. I must record your pathetic state. When the Great Sages see this, they will realize how great the progress I have made is."

"I am merely hurrying because I must return to Master."

"Using the Black Flame like that will be too much for your body. And there is no one to maintain you now, is there? Originally, the research team regenerated you at the cellular level after each mission. Your continued existence is purely thanks to me."

Lazar's words were true. The flame that burns everything made no exceptions, even for the user.

"It does not matter. If it is for Master."

"Touching. But sentimentalism is always the refuge of the weak."

Evelyn threw a Black Flame dagger, aiming for the Cherubim with the halberd.

As he staggered backward, Evelyn took advantage of the opening to descend and target the alchemical equipment.

The Cherubim quickly began to surround Evelyn.

'Now!'

Evelyn immediately drew the Black Flame to its limit in both hands and focused the black flames on the chemical tanks.

The inside of the factory was plunged into complete darkness, then once again dyed with the ominous glow of the Black Flame.

Kwaaaang──!

The flames spread in all directions like an explosion, burning the Cherubim.

The force of the explosion caused several pillars to collapse, and parts of the factory began to crumble.

In the smoke-filled space, Evelyn searched for Lazar.

He was enduring the explosion by using two Cherubim as human shields.

Evelyn did not miss this opportunity.

She moved through the fallen Cherubim and approached Lazar.

In a flash, her dagger gleamed, accurately piercing Lazar's upper body.

Clang—!

"……?"

An unexpected, cold metallic sound rang out. Instead of the sound of a dagger cutting through flesh, it was the sound of something hitting something hard.

Lazar's lab coat tore, revealing the form hidden beneath.

A body with red muscles and blue circuits grotesquely combined. The sternum was reinforced with titanium alloy, and a blue-glowing ether tank was operating in the place where the heart should have been.

A hybrid where human flesh and metal were bizarrely combined. More than half of his body had been replaced with machinery.

"Surprised? This is evolution. Transcendence beyond limitations. Replacing the weak human flesh with the perfection of machinery."

He slowly pointed to the center of his chest. A red jewel was embedded there. Ether began to spread from the jewel.

"Ars Magna."

Shoo-

Golden chains extended from within Lazar's body.

"Solomon's Chains!"

The Hermetic Order's highest-level binding technique. An ancient artifact that seals all abilities.

She tried to avoid it, but it was too late. The golden chains wrapped around Evelyn's body.

The moment she was bound by the chains, the Black Flame subsided. It felt as if all her power was draining away.

"Behold! Even the binding control artifact that used to require a large-scale ritual is now integrated into my body!"

"Kuh…"

The golden chains dug into her skin, tightening more and more. Evelyn gritted her teeth, but could not hide the pain.

"Solomon's Chains seal all mysteries. No ability can defy it. How is it, Alpha? Does it feel like returning to square one?"

"What… are you trying to do?"

Lazar approached her slowly, without haste.

"Once, you were perfect. Without emotions, questions, or hesitation. You existed only for a pure purpose. I will restore that purity."

Clang-

With an eerie sound from his back, six mechanical tentacles extended. Each end was equipped with needles, thorns, and small electrodes.

"Emotions, memories, attachments… I will free you from all errors. Everything that made you mistake yourself for a 'human'… and that loyalty to Experiment Omega."

The tentacles slowly approached Evelyn's head. Blue liquid dripped from the tips of the thorns.

"The Hermetic Order is the tide and end of the era! Alpha-001! Everything you knew will disappear. You will be reborn, as a more perfect tool!"

The device was now almost touching Evelyn's head.

Psh-

The helplessness that had dominated Evelyn's face changed to a calm sneer. The brief smile on her lips was barely noticeable, but it did not escape Doctor Lazar's mechanized eyes.

"What is so funny, Alpha?"

Lazar asked, narrowing his mechanical eyes.

"Do you still not understand the Hermetic Order? You cannot become the Great Sage anyway."

Confusion flashed across Lazar's face. A faint spark flickered from his mechanized parts.

"There are only seven seats for the Great Sages. You integrated Solomon's Chains into your body? That is your problem. A true alchemist transcends their own body, not replaces it with machinery."

"What nonsense…"

"They sent you to dispose of you. Because you are no longer needed. I should have told you from the beginning. If they really wanted to bring Master, they would have sent Metatron."

Lazar's face contorted. The human and mechanical parts expressed emotions in different directions. The mechanical part remained fixed, while only the living skin twisted with rage.

"You… dare…! That's a lie…! I was the most outstanding researcher! I produced more results than anyone!"

"But now that Master knows that she is the true King, no further experiments are needed."

"I was superior to them. I completed Omega! I am the true intellect of the Hermetic Order!"

Evelyn did not answer.

Instead, a thin, faint Black Flame bloomed from her fingertips.

"Impossible! Solomon's Chains should seal all abilities!"

Hwareuk-!

The Black Flame began to grow larger and larger.

"Are you trying to commit suicide? How foolish! Even if you force the Black Flame to bloom, you will be the first to be annihilated!"

Despite Lazar's warning, Evelyn's expression was serene.

The Black Flame began to envelop Solomon's Chains. The golden chains slowly, but surely, began to melt.

[TL: I was not feeling well when I did this chapter so it might be of lower quality than the others. If you see any mistakes, feel free to point them out]

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