“Professor, is he—”
“Who will you believe? An official University Professor with valid credentials,” Vanitas continued. “Or a criminal who was sentenced to Index?”
“R–Right….”
The misunderstanding was easy to clear. Clearly, Edmund was just trying to sow discord among them.
Edmund realized it was futile, and quickly controlled the zombified guards.
Considering their sluggish movements, necromancy of this level was typically a Master Ranked spell in the context of dark magic.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of steel against steel echoed through the corridor as the guards clashed with the reanimated figures.
Their blades struck indefinitely, but the zombified guards moved unnaturally. They shrugged off blows that would have incapacitated any living opponent.
Edmund fiddled with his chances. The barrier was way too complex. He found his comprehension wasn’t enough.
But he couldn’t stop. He was desperate. This was his only chance at freedom after being imprisoned for seventeen long years.
Vanitas, however, gave him no breathing room.
A relentless barrage of Windblades streaked toward Edmund, forcing him to dodge and defend himself instead of focusing on the barrier.
Behind him were the guards, fending off the zombies, giving Vanitas the opportunity to take down his fellow mage.
“Tsk,” Edmund clicked his tongue. “Annoying brat.”
Edmund twisted his body, maneuvering in the air as he dodged Vanitas’s Stone Cannon. Simultaneously, he raised his hand in the air as he swiftly chanted.
“By the ancient pact of flame and fury, I call upon the primordial blaze—”
He was abruptly cut off as Vanitas launched an Icicle Break toward him. Edmund quickly offset, chanting a barrier.
But due to the simplicity of the incantation, the barrier immediately shattered, and Edmund was forced to move to the side.
Wiping a bead of sweat off his forehead, he continued.
“—rise, roar, and consume all in your path—Infernal Surge!”
It was an Advanced spell.
A wave of flames surged toward Vanitas, leaving scorch marks in its path.
“….”
His mind raced.
Incantations were what brought magic to life. Essentially, they were the spellformulas of magic circuits, expressed as sound.
The structure of incantations varied widely. But in simple gaming terms, they functioned as a way to calibrate a spell’s size, speed, and power.
However, with his stigmata, Silent Dominion, Vanitas could cast magic without the need for spoken incantations.
Even so, silent casting required a deeper understanding of the natural laws and the physics of the world.
This was where Vanitas had the advantage.
His stock knowledge of science, calculus, and mechanics—concepts unheard of in this world—set him apart.
The flames reflected vividly in his irises, and Vanitas closed his eyes briefly.
His thoughts visualized the structure of water.
He imagined its flow, the way molecules moved, bonded, and shifted. The hydrogen and oxygen, the tension on its surface, and the energy within.
With that clear image in mind, he raised his hand.
“….”
Swoosh!
Water surged into existence. It spiraled upward and formed a shield.
Though Water Shield was typically a Beginner–level spell, Vanitas offset the spell’s parameters using his stigmata.
By increasing the mana output while maintaining its efficiency, he expanded the shield’s size and power.
What would normally be a small barrier now stood as a towering wall of water. Its durability and power alone was comparable to an Advanced–level spell.
Sizzle~
The flames collided with the shield as steam erupted. The corridor was filled with the sound of fire and water fighting for dominance.
Vanitas held his ground as he maintained the shield’s structure. He could feel the strain, but quickly ignored it.
The flames finally subsided, leaving only faint embers and a cloud of steam.
「Boundless Reservoir」
◆ Capacity: 2470/9000
His mana dwindled in the process.
Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t bring the Grimoire, or the Ethereal Fragment. The guards would’ve confiscated it during his visit.
But seeing the exhausted look on Edmund’s face, he didn’t seem to fare any better. Multitasking the zombies and Vanitas obviously took a toll on him.
Suddenly, Edmund raised his hand and muttered under his breath. The air around him darkened as tendrils of shadow formed.
“Dark Convergence!”
Tendrils of dark energy lashed toward Vanitas.
Swoosh—!
Vanitas leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the first wave. The shadows slammed into the wall.
He retaliated immediately, casting an amplified Windblade. The sharp arc of wind cut through two of the tendrils and dispersed them into wisps of black smoke.
But Edmund wasn’t done. A burst of flames erupted from his other hand, forcing Vanitas to retreat further down the corridor.
Vanitas gritted his teeth.
‘His coordination is insane….’
Despite the strain and his previous injuries, Vanitas pressed on, utilizing his knowledge of specific spell counters in the game.
Boom! Boom!
As Edmund launched another wave of shadows, Vanitas ducked low, using Wind Step to close the gap between them.
He thrust his hand forward.
“Earth Lance.”
A sharp pillar of rock erupted from the ground, aiming for Edmund, who looked taken aback by the sheer speed of Vanitas’s incantation.
Edmund sidestepped, but the move disrupted his focus, and the shadows faltered.
Vanitas didn’t relent. He followed with Icicle Break, sending shards of ice toward Edmund.
“Fuck! Why are you so fast!? How is that even possible!?” Edmund growled.
He summoned a barrier of fire to melt the incoming ice. The steam filled the corridor, obscuring the vicinity.
Vanitas used the momentary cover to reposition himself, flanking Edmund and launching a Windblade. The blade of wind struck Edmund’s arm, drawing blood.
“Ukh—!’
But simultaneously, despite the blood sputtering in the air, Edmund casted Flameburst in retaliation.
Boom——!
The explosion sent Vanitas flying backward. He hit the ground hard as pain shot through his body.
‘I can’t keep this up much longer….’
Vanitas felt the chill in the air grew colder as his lips turned pale white.
‘Anemia…. Fucking cancer….’
Edmund noticed the change immediately. “You look pale. Professor, was it? Feeling under the weather?”
Vanitas ignored the taunt, steadying himself against the wall.
“Haaah…. H-haaa….”
Edmund stumbled as well, clutching his wounded arm. His movements were slower, and his chest rose and fell, breathing heavily.
“Huuu….”
Both of them were running on fumes.
Behind Vanitas, the guards seemed to have their hands full.
Their fight didn’t even register to them at all as the guards fended off against the onslaught of zombified guards and monsters alike.
“Professor.”
Edmund reached for his pocket and took out a piece of metal, the surface glowing faintly under the light that spilled from the barrier.
“I still don’t get you,” Edmund said, holding the object up. “Why give me—”
‘There.’
Vanitas didn’t let him finish.
Swoosh—!
He quickly casted Windburst, propelling himself forward, and instantly closed the gap between them in an instant.
His hand shot out, reaching out for the piece of metal.
“Wha—” Edmund jerked back instinctively.
His other hand glowed as he swiftly chanted another spell.
Vanitas anticipated the move and twisting mid-air to avoid the flames erupting from Edmund’s palm.
The heat grazed his shoulder, but he didn’t stop.
In one fluid motion, Vanitas grabbed Edmund’s wrist and pulled to the side. The piece of metal slipped from his grasp.
Vanitas caught it mid-fall, clutching it tightly in his hand.
“You—!”
“Windblade.”
A sharp arc of wind shot from Vanitas’s free hand, slashing across Edmund’s arm. The force sent him staggering back as he clutched his injury.
Edmund quickly retaliated, chanting another spell. Flames burst toward Vanitas, but he cast Windburst, propelling himself away before the attack could land.
“Bye, bye.”
There was no need to defeat Edmund. Under the emergency lockdown, escaping Index was practically impossible.
The entire exchange’s purpose was to take the piece of metal back and buy time.
From Edmund’s incantations alone, it was clear he was behind the times. Seventeen years in confinement had clearly left him out of touch with modern magic.
But experience was on Edmund’s side. While his knowledge lagged, he was still a seasoned combatant.
Vanitas knew better than to fight him head-on under such disadvantageous conditions.
His head throbbed, his vision blurred, and his body felt weaker with each passing second.
The symptoms of his illness were taking their toll.
“Professor, what are you—” a guard, who had just cut down a monster, said.
“Retreat!” Vanitas shouted.
Without hesitation, the guards followed his orders and rushed down the corridor.
Behind them, flames and dark energy lashed out as monsters and zombified knights gave chase.
Vanitas propelled himself forward with Windburst. His survival took priority.
Suddenly….
Slash—!
A streak of light flashed past him. In an instant, blood erupted like a fountain, halting everyone in their tracks. The corridor was bathed in the rain of crimson.
Reinforcements had arrived.
Alaric appeared, leading a group of guards. His armor was battered and his body was heavily wounded.
Ignoring his injuries, he hacked through the enemies wildly.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Alaric’s blade moved like a blur. Not even Vanitas could keep up as Alaric cut down everything in his path—monsters, undead, nothing stood a chance.
Edmund, realizing the dire situation, launched a desperate assault. Flames erupted, dark energy crackled, and reanimated figures charged forward.
But none of it mattered.
Alaric dodged, countered, and advanced as if he moved in automation. In a matter of moments, he closed the gap.
“May God forgive you,” Alaric said, his tone dropping. “Because I won’t.”
“Fuck—”
Slash—!
It was almost anticlimactic.
Edmund Velgrind, the man behind the chaos and death, dropped to the ground with a thud before he could even retaliate with a spell. Blood pooled beneath his lifeless body.
“….”
The corridor fell silent, save for the faint groans of dying monsters and the heavy breathing of the guards.
“Haaa….”
Vanitas leaned against the wall, exhaustion etched on his face as he clutched the pain shooting up his right arm.
“Secure the area,” Alaric ordered. “Make sure nothing else escapes.”
The guards nodded and moved quickly to eliminate any remaining threats.
Alaric turned to Vanitas.
“Professor, are you alright?”
Vanitas gave a weak nod. “I’ll live. Is it over?”
“Surprisingly.”
***
Despite the chaos that had unfolded, Index quickly moved to clean up the aftermath. After another suffocating two hours, the blizzard had subsided.
In the end, every prisoner in the upper levels had been killed. It wasn’t a choice they took lightly, but the severity of the situation left them with no other option.
At the moment, the lower floors were currently being investigated for any escapees lurking around.
“….”
Amidst the grim scene, Vanitas stood silently, fixing his gaze on a figure sprawled lifeless on the ground.
Desmond Wyndale.
Beside him lay another body. It was none other than his father.
It seemed the father and son had attempted to escape, hoping to take advantage of the chaos. But their efforts were in vain as they seemed to have been caught in the crossfire.
Not like it mattered.
Vanitas glanced around. The guards moved somberly as they covered the bodies of their fallen comrades with white blankets. The air was heavy with grief.
After reporting the situation to the Council, Doctors would be sent soon to tend to the wounded.
“Professor.”
A voice rang from behind, and Vanitas turned around, meeting the tired gaze of Alaric.
The Warden’s body was wrapped in bandages. Despite the injuries, Alaric worked to oversee the cleanup.
Vanitas, too, was wrapped in bandages. A sharp migraine pulsed in his skull, but thankfully, the symptoms of anemia had subsided albeit a little.
His figure was still pale. Even Alaric had noticed it, but kept it to himself.
He could manage.
For now.
“Yes?” Vanitas asked.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Alaric began. “If you hadn’t been here, who knows how many of my men would’ve died.”
“….”
Vanitas nodded his head silently.
It was his quick counter to the onslaught of magic that had spared the lives of unaware guards.
He hadn’t done it intentionally to save anyone. It was simply part of the task at hand. Yet, in doing so, he had unknowingly shielded several guards from certain death.
“It’s unfortunate we can’t interrogate Edmund regarding his means of escape,” Alaric said.
The inmates they interrogated, before being forced to cut them down as they resisted, all pointed to one name.
Edmund Velgrind.
It was clear he had orchestrated their escape.
Alaric had initially wanted to capture Edmund alive. But that option quickly vanished the moment Edmund’s unconventional magic came into play.
Once Edmund was free, there were only two possibilities—kill him, or be killed.
When the chance finally appeared, Alaric didn’t hesitate. He knew it was the only way to end the chaos and prevent further casualties.
Alaric turned to Vanitas, putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Your stay has been overextended. I think it’s time for you to depart,” Alaric said.
“Indeed,” Vanitas nodded.
“Anyone,” Alaric began. “Someone escort the Professor to the warp hole!”
“I can do it, Warden,” one of the guards approached.
Alaric gave a brief nod, and Vanitas followed the guard toward the exit.
All of a sudden….
“Warden!” a frantic voice echoed from down the hallway.
Vanitas and the guard stopped, turning to see another guard running toward Alaric.
“Someone’s escaped!” the guard announced. “It’s…. It’s Mikhail Aubert!”
“….”
For a moment, silence filled the corridor.
Alaric’s face darkened, and his entire demeanor shifted.
“What!?”
“He’s gone! We’ve confirmed his cell is empty. The barriers…. something tampered with them!”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Alaric turned to Vanitas. His voice was urgent.
“You need to leave. Now!”
Then, he fixed his gaze on the guard escorting Vanitas.
“Get him to the warp hole immediately!”
“Yes, Warden!” the guard saluted before motioning to Vanitas. “This way, Professor!”
The two quickly rushed the hallway. Before long, it was Vanitas who took the lead, glancing at the vicinity’s layout in his spectacle as they slowed down their pace.
The warp hole leading into Index was located near the main entrance.
However, the warp hole used to exit Index was located elsewhere. Buried somewhere in the snowy forest surrounding the fortress.
The reason was simple.
Security.
If an inmate ever managed to escape, having an accessible warp hole within the fortress would provide an easy means of escape.
Index ensured that any potential escapee would have to navigate the forest first, drastically lowering their chances of success.
Vanitas, however, knew of the patterns.
The warp holes shifted between five different locations in the surrounding forest.
Every two days, the location was rotated according to a predetermined pattern.
Only guards entrusted were supposed to know these locations, and the shifts were done to prevent anyone, including insiders, from exploiting the system.
The five patterns weren’t random either. They were based on practicality.
Each spot was chosen for its proximity to guard patrols, natural hazards, and difficulty of access.
This made it incredibly hard for anyone unfamiliar with the layout of Index and its vicinity to find the warp hole.
As he and the guard walked, he mentally calculated the timing.
‘Two days ago, the warp hole was likely at the eastern slope near the ravine. Following the pattern, today, it should have shifted to the western ridge near the cliffs.’
The timing made sense. The warp hole shift always occurred at dawn, which aligned with the fortress’s patrol rotations.
By now, it should be securely at its next position.
Vanitas slowed briefly, glancing at the Spectacles’ layout to confirm the quickest path.
There were several guards around the halls, checking for the escapee, Mikhail. If he had escaped a while ago, he should’ve been near the exit.
However, the guards all scrambled around.
One guard approached Vanitas, and lowered his head.
“Professor, thank you! If it weren’t for you, I would’ve lost an arm.”
“Keep up the good work,” Vanitas said.
The guard glanced between Vanitas and his escort, “Escort the Professor safely.”
“Understood,” the escort said.
The guard turned on his heel and ran, continuing on their search for Mikhail.
Vanitas glanced at the escort, and said, “The western ridge.”
“What was that, Professor?” the escort asked.
“The warp hole. It should be near the cliffs at the western ridge.”
“You truly never fail to surprise me, Professor.”
The escort’s demeanor changed. His dark eyes slowly contorted into a reddish hue, glowing faintly underneath the helmet.
Vanitas narrowed his eyes.
“Just give me the metal, Mikhail.”