Chapter 7
Thick black smoke billowed from the taxi, consumed by fierce flames, as if the city's streets were silently screaming in horror at the sudden inferno erupting amidst the passing cars. The fire's savage dance mesmerized the terrified crowd, their eyes locked onto the burning wreckage, their hearts weighed down by shock and helplessness, silently questioning what had happened.
Above the scene, the group floated in the sky, their expressions frozen in cold contemplation. But Suero couldn't stay distant; he shot downward, pushing through the crowd with determined strides, shoving people aside as he made his way toward the blazing vehicle, his face frozen in disbelief. As he neared, his eyes fell upon the charred remains of his mother inside the car. For a moment, his gaze locked in place, then his eyebrows shot up in deep shock, and a torn voice escaped from the depths of his soul:
"Mom…!?"
Before he could get any closer, a man from the crowd grabbed his shoulder firmly, as if trying to protect him from the madness overtaking him:
"Son, where are you going? Can't you see the flames consuming everything in their path?"
Suero turned to him with a desperate gaze, filled with fear and agonizing plea, struggling to form words as his voice trembled:
"Let me…! My mother… My mother is inside!"
He fought against the man's grip, but the crowd surrounded him, holding him back. Suero screamed, thrashing with all his might:
"Get away from me! My mother… My mother is in the car!"
Another voice from the crowd yelled angrily, trying to stop him from acting recklessly:
"You fool! It's dangerous!"
Suero kept struggling desperately, tears streaming from his eyes as he cried out in despair:
"Let me go… Leave me alone!"
In the sky, the group watched in absolute silence. Moryo spoke coldly:
"We need to take Suero."
Baysal raised her eyebrows in shock, whispering:
"Is his mother really inside the car?"
Veb asked, his voice a mix of confusion and calm:
"What should we do now, Master?"
Sbyam remained silent, his gaze fixed on Suero, his mind seemingly boiling with hidden thoughts before he finally spoke in a quiet, cryptic tone:
"He… He is the one who did this…!"
Moryo glanced at him slightly, his curiosity piqued, but Sbyam didn't move, his eyes still locked onto the burning car. Then, in a barely audible murmur, he whispered:
"This… This is the Unlimited technique!"
Baysal took a step back in horror, whispering:
"Spailo…?!"
—
Inside a stone castle, Spailo walked with measured steps through the silence, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone corridors, his hands tucked into his pockets, his face as calm as a moonless night. He entered a vast chamber within the fortress, where a group of sorcerers sat gathered around a massive wooden table: Campeis, Pico, Beth, Solio, and Darwin.
As he entered, all eyes turned toward him, but Spailo ignored their stares, continuing confidently toward another door. The heavy silence filled the room until Solio scoffed and spoke with dripping sarcasm:
"Did you really do it, Spailo?"
Spailo paused for a moment at the door, staring ahead without looking at them. Beth stepped forward, his tone laced with mockery:
"Why did you do it? Were you trying to prove something? Or is there another reason behind your actions?"
Then, Solio burst into manic laughter, his words brimming with scorn and ridicule:
"This is wonderful for me! I can feel Suero's shattered soul, his agony floating and wailing in the air around us!"
Spailo slowly turned to face them, his expression unreadable. Yet, suddenly, an overwhelming aura seeped from him—like a silent storm—freezing the others in place, tension and fear creeping onto their faces. Solio eyed him with curiosity before challenging him with a sharp, unhinged voic:
"What's the matter, little one? Are you angry? But I'm enjoying this! You won't take this pleasure away from me. I'll enjoy it until the very end!"
Then, his gaze turned crazed as he spoke in a chilling, threatening tone:
"I'll kill him! I swear to you, I will kill Suero!"
Spailo smirked coldly:
"And I will be the first to face you."
Campeis stepped toward Spailo, his voice carrying a hint of calm curiosity:
"Spailo… Why did you and Raizo create the Rizsius organization? What are your true goals, and why did you hire us, the sorcerer assassins, you two?"
Spailo scoffed, narrowing his eyes with concealed disdain:
"Shut up, fool! You don't even know your own past to understand my intentions!"
Campeis looked at him in surprise, but Spailo simply cast a mocking glance, shrouded in deliberate mystery.
At that moment, Darwin broke the silence, his voice laced with curiosity:
"So, why did Brylo choose the Ronda region?"
All eyes turned to Darwin, and Beth replied confidently:
"You're talking about the plan to contain Sbyam, right?"
Darwin nodded, and Beth continued with certainty:
"Because it has the highest population density."
Darwin questioned:
"Will that benefit us?"
Beth smiled wickedly, his voice dripping with confidence:
"Absolutely."
Solio cast a questioning look at Spailo, then raised an eyebrow and asked with suspicion:
"Are we really capable of containing him?"
All eyes shifted to Spailo, who let a cold smile creep onto his lips and answered with unwavering confidence:
"Absolutely. I have a trump card against him in Ronda."
Darwin stared at Spailo in clear confusion before hesitantly saying:
"I don't know much about the Raimo Clan's techniques, but… are you all really sure we can stop the strongest sorcerer of this generation?"
Spailo leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes locking onto Darwin's before he smirked darkly and whispered with confidence:
"We'll be using your technique, so you'd better stay alive."
Campeis stepped forward, concern evident in his voice:
"And what about the containment sphere?"
Spailo replied firmly:
"We need to take it from the Mana organization!"
Solio frowned in irritation, his displeasure clear:
"I won't go to the sorcerers' organization. I hate all of them!"
Spailo chuckled quietly, sending a cunning smile his way:
"Then… let's start planning the attack."
---
(Three Days Later)
Before sunset, Suero sat silently beside his mother's grave, his gaze fixed on the tombstone with an empty look, weighed down by silence and bitter memories flooding his mind. Behind him, Sbyam stood leaning against the cemetery entrance, watching him with a faint smile—one that carried an old mockery and an unspoken understanding.
Suero remained silent, uttering no words. He gently touched the tombstone, as if bidding his mother farewell. Then, he turned to face Sbyam, who smiled and asked:
"Are you ready to continue your path?"
Suero's eyes were as cold as ice, and he replied in a steady tone:
"Yes. If I don't continue on this path, I won't be able to protect humans from the monsters that threaten them, nor will I be able to protect my friends… If I hesitate any longer, I'll be the reason for their deaths."
Then, he turned away, leaving Sbyam behind. His final glance carried a newfound maturity and determination. Sbyam, on the other hand, followed him at a calm pace, hands in his pockets, a faint smile on his lips as he thought to himself:
"He has grown."
---
(Seven Days Later)
At the Sorcerers' Academy, Moryo and his team stood alongside Suero, waiting in boredom. Baysal sighed in frustration and muttered:
"That idiot is late!"
Veb, scanning the area around them, replied calmly:
"Is this his usual way of doing things? Or is he just trying to annoy us?"
Suddenly, Sbyam appeared before them, clad in a new outfit. He had replaced his old blue attire with a white robe lined with black edges, adding an air of elegance and strength to his presence.
Everyone's eyes widened—Suero, Baysal, and Kamyo all exclaimed in admiration:
"AMAZING…!"
Sbyam chuckled, scratching the back of his head in feigned modesty, while Moryo, maintaining his usual composure, asked in a quiet tone:
"What's with the new outfit?"
Sbyam stepped closer to Moryo, confidently raising a finger toward him and grinning with excitement:
"Today, we'll meet another academy to determine who truly deserves the title of the strongest. Is it those fools from Betma, or my brave students?"
Moryo let out a weary sigh, speaking in an exasperated tone:
"So, you just want to show off?"
His face showed clear annoyance as he watched his overly enthusiastic teammates. Suero, Baysal, and Kamyo exchanged eager glances, laughing alongside Sbyam as if they were one big family, their faces glowing with smiles. Meanwhile, Moryo remained composed, observing them quietly, masking his irritation at the ridiculousness of the moment.
Sbyam led them toward the upcoming challenge, their hearts filled with a fresh wave of excitement and strength, ready to face whatever awaited them.
End of Chapter.