“Rock Prison.”
Via swiftly mobilized the mana in her body and unleashed an earth-attuned spell.
The ground beneath her feet turned liquid, flowed upward, and—shaped by her will—shot out to bind the four arms of the giant ape, forcing the beast to its knees as though locked inside a cage of stone.
“Four-armed ape, break free now!” Owen commanded.
ROAR, ROAR!!
The ape struggled wildly. It finally snapped one stone shackle with sheer brute force, only for another to immediately replace it.
“Move, damn you! MOVE!!”
Owen was losing it.
No matter how frantic he became, the beast remained suppressed.
He couldn’t understand.
How could Via possess such terrifying magical prowess?
How could a mana-weak waste use spells he had never even seen before?
The monster he controlled was a Gold-rank beast corrupted by abyssal aura.
Even human Gold-rank warriors would face certain death against it.
Yet in front of Via, this ferocious creature was nothing more than a toy.
“Young Master Leites, still think you can kill me easily?”
Via’s little leather shoe pressed down on the ape’s head, the corner of her mouth curling into a smirk.
It was as if she were stepping on Owen himself. She no longer hid anything; the arrogance of a Demon King radiated from her.
“If you don’t come up with something soon, you really are going to die here~”
“How… how can you use magic like that?”
“Sorry, I just happens that I can.”
Via raised her hand. Abyssal Force gathered at her fingertips, forming a small orb that devoured all surrounding light.
She pressed two fingers together, aiming straight at the ape’s skull. The violent Abyssal Force became a loaded gun under her perfect control.
“Abyssal Bullet, chambered.”
“What are you— Four-armed ape, defend!” Owen frantically poured more mana into the beast.
“Fire.”
Via gave it no chance.
The Abyssal Bullet tore through the monster’s tough hide, effortlessly blowing away half its head.
AAAAAARGH!!
The four-armed ape let out a wretched scream.
“Guh—!”
Owen’s body jolted. He collapsed to his knees.
Because his mind was linked to the ape through Abyssal Eye’s artifact, the beast’s agony rebounded straight into his soul.
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
This noble young master, pampered his entire life, had never experienced pain like this.
For the first time, death felt so close.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!
The ape went completely berserk. A surge of power shattered the rock prison.
Via leapt backward, landing atop a huge boulder instead of restraining it further.
She crossed her legs, an evil smile spreading across her face. She was ready to enjoy the show.
“The power of the abyss is not something you can touch so lightly. Pay the price for your ignorance.”
“What… are you saying?”
Owen didn’t understand.
But the next second, he felt something horribly wrong.
The wounded ape had lost all reason. Even though Owen’s mana was nearly depleted, it kept draining him, trying to heal itself.
“Stop! Four-armed ape, I’m out of mana!!” Owen screamed in terror.
“Guh…!”
The ape crawled to him and, like grabbing a chick, lifted the noble young master into the air.
“Stop! This is an order! Do you hear me, you beast?!”
Owen could no longer stay calm.
He realized the ape was siphoning not only his mana, but his very life force.
He was suffering backlash.
Even as he frantically waved the bracelet and issued commands, the ape ignored him. Its grip tightened, crushing his bones with savage strength.
“Via, save me!”
In his desperation, Owen clung to Via as his only lifeline.
“Stop the ape and I’ll forget everything! I’ll let you go!”
“Forget what, exactly?” Via tilted her head innocently. “I don’t quite follow~”
“The magic core you stole from me during the assessment! I won’t hold it against you anymore— AAAAAH!!”
Owen spat another mouthful of blood.
He could no longer feel his lower body.
“Go on, Owen. What exactly are you holding against me?” Via’s tone dripped with wicked amusement. “Take your time. I’ve got all day~”
“I—I… I’m sorry! Via, I was wrong! I shouldn’t have looked down on you!!”
Driven by fear, Owen abandoned every shred of noble pride.
He begged shamelessly, desperate to live.
He was the heir of the Leites family. He had a brilliant future. He couldn’t die here!
He already regretted ever provoking Via.
“You know you were wrong?” Via asked.
“Yes, yes! I really know I was wrong! I apologize! You are the true saintess, no question!”
Owen saw a glimmer of hope.
Via had been raised in the Holy Land; she must be kind at heart, magnanimous like Lady Sylvia, able to forgive even those who wronged her.
That was what a saintess was.
Enduring the agony, he looked toward Via.
At that moment, the pink-haired girl’s face bloomed into the most radiant smile.
“Owen, I’m afraid I still can’t accept an apology from someone like you~
So just die, okay~?”
“…Huh?”
Owen froze.
He didn’t even get to utter last words.
The ape’s grip crushed him completely, draining the last of his life force. The young noble’s life ended in misery.
“Honestly, this pathetic little farce wasn’t even that entertaining.”
Via had seen enough. She stood, fired another Abyssal Bullet straight through the ape’s torso, and ended the monster’s life as well.
She harvested the ape’s magic core, then walked over to Owen’s unrecognizable corpse, and took his personal communicator. She pressed the emergency beacon.
It wouldn’t be long before Avalon’s teachers arrived and witnessed this shocking scene:
Owen, who had used a forbidden artifact, tried to control an abyss-corrupted beast and was killed by his own weapon.
The Leites family behind him would now face a thorough investigation from the Holy Land.
“Regret it in your next life, naive little young master.”