>WHOOOOOOSSSHHHHH<

Suddenly, in a burst of white light, Maria ascended into the air.

Her body was doused in an unquestionably radiant light. It covered her, like a sphere, developing her immediate surroundings as well.

Jared’s unconscious body also got bathed in its warmth, and the creeping darkness all around began to dissipate.

“W-wha—?!”

“H-how is she—?!”

“T-that’s now possible!”

“She’s using Magic?!”

“I-it’s not—!!!”

The mysterious men clad in black were beyond shocked when they observed the power Maria commanded.

It was enough to make them shudder in despair, and their hands nervously trembled even as they gripped their staffs.

“K-kill her! Hurry!!!”

Heeding the command of the one who seemed to be their leader, everyone gained some measure of their composure and powered-up their dark rods.

“DIEEEEE!!!”

The darkness in the rods swelled, seemingly corroding everything in its path.

Certainly, their joint attack of corruption would be more than enough to get rid of the girl. Having these thoughts, they widened their eyes and curled their lips as the devastating blast neared the target.

>BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM<

“U-uh?!”

The dark surge of power never reached their designated target.

Rather, it clashed with the barrier of light around her, causing the former to instantly get crushed.

“N-no… she… but how?!” Everyone was about to go mad with confusion.

The ultimate power that surpassed even the concept of Mana… was easily destroyed by a mere child?

The scientists were beyond appalled. They were mad with confusion and rage.

“No way! No way! No way!”

The group desperately tried again and again, but their efforts all ended in futility. The darkness kept growing thinner and thinner, and the bright light kept expanding.

The men watched as their obsidian staffs slowly lost their color, poeelessly seeing the source of their power fading.

Their years of dedicated research.

Their quest for transcendent power.

Their sacrifices for absolute strength.

Everything went down the drain in that single moment.

>WHOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!!<

The light swept through them, filling them with such overpowering energy that they screamed.

Their bodies overflowed with the foreign surge, and they felt something leave their system.

Everything went blank, and the ferocious individuals became docile beings—as though they were marionettes whose strings had been cut.

>THUD!<

“They’re all unconscious now. They won’t hurt anyone again…” A soft whisper escaped the lips of the perpetrator.

Her eyes gently looked around her, seeing every last ounce of the disgusting darkness already gone.

>SHUUUUUUUU<

Slowly, the swelling light began to reduce. It dimmed—shrinking in size and power—as it let Maria down from her height.

Before long, the bright sparks faded, and the remnant energy returned to the card the young lady held in her grasp.

“Haa… haa…” Her body shuddered as she hugged it tightly.

Never before had she felt the sensation she had just experienced.

It was like she was one with everything—a state of absolute control… of purity and transcendence!

Maria’s breathing stabilized, but her legs were too weak, so she fell on her butt while yelping slightly.

“T-that was… amazing…” Her eyes moved in Jared’s direction, watching as he still remained unconscious.

“Ha… Jared.” Maria was a small distance from the young boy, so she began drawing close to him in her drained state.

Her eyes were brimming with hope and passion. It felt like if she would touch him, then everything would be alright.

The way the boy peacefully slept almost.made him appear dead, but Maria did not allow such thoughts to cross her mind

She simply wanted to remain by his side.

“Jare—”

“Fools! Fools!! Fools!!! All of you are fools!!!” A voice suddenly bellowed.

An ominous energy suddenly took over the room, and the darkness that had vanished instantly returned.

“A-ah?!” Maria’s eyes widened as she looked behind her.

A man stood there, clad in a dark suit and a researcher’s attire.

He had glasses on, and his roughened dark hair made him appear a madman.

His slumped stance added to that aesthetic—same as the way he mumbled unintelligible words and seemed increasingly irritated.

“You fools! You worthless fools! You could not use the power well! Fools! You insult the power! Fools! Why can’t you do anything right? Fools!!!”

His screech was beyond annoying. It peaked until it reached a frightening degree.

Suddenly—

>SQUELCH!<

—He stomped his boots on the head of one of the unconscious people, killing him instantly.

“Worthless!”

>SPLOOSH!<

Blood splattered all over him and the area as he crushed another one.

“Fools!”

Another died in the same way.

“You’re all!”

Yet one more head easily caged in as the man’s weight burst the brain and shattered the skull.

“WORTHLESS!!!”

At this point, upon seeing such carnage being wrought before her, Maria was petrified with fear.

It wasn’t simply because of the mayhem, but also because of the despairing darkness around her.

Her body shivered endlessly, and the flow of sweat did not cease.

Her gaze shifted to Jared, and she watched him remain motionless.

Even if they were simply a short distance away, it suddenly felt like they were miles apart.

That frightened her beyond belief!

“ARGGHH!!!” Her maddening scream pierced the air, drawing the attention of the mysterious murderer.

His head mechanically tilted in her direction, and his bloodshot eyes displayed a murderous gleam.

“YOU…” A deep, vengeful voice followed.

The man’s tone was as unpleasant as metal scraping metal.

“This is all your fault. It’s your fault. Yours!” Now focusing all his killing intent on Maria, the insane researcher only had one expression displayed.

He resembled the personification of pure, unbridled terror!

“L-lord Stefan told me… he warned me you would show! But it was too late! You were too early. Not enough time to research. Not enough time to run. No. Flee. Run. Stay. Kill. Arghhhhh!!!” The man was now itching his head in agonizing conflict.

“Should I kill you? No… I should not. No, I should. Young Helmsworth lady. Feeling superior to our Master. The one who is most compatible. The child of darkness. The one who is one with the abyss. Netherlore is his name!!!”