CHAPTER 101:The Heist 3

Leo ran forward once more, blades flashing as he aimed for the golem's chest. As expected, the golem remained still—only attacking when Leo stepped into the giant rune circle etched into the floor.

Whoosh

The golem's fist tore through the air like a boulder launched from a catapult, only to strike nothing but wind. Leo had already moved, twisting mid-run to roll under the creature's massive stone arm before thrusting one of his daggers upward.

"Wonderful," Leo muttered, bracing through the silent vibration that ran down his arm. His dagger had hit squarely—but not even a scratch was left on the golem's solid hide.

Boom

The golem's jade eyes ignited, burning crimson in an instant. The air around Leo thickened with pressure, and his azure eye lit up in response, catching the mana signature of another incoming attack.

"It's a good thing he doesn't have a weapon," Leo hissed, vaulting over a sweeping kick. The size of the golem's leg made the strike look absurd, but the sheer force behind it was anything but funny.

Still airborne, Leo twisted his body to avoid smashing into the tunnel's jagged ceiling. He descended like a falling star, blades glowing blue as they came down in a twin arc.

Crack

The golem raised both arms in time, the jade plating ringing as it blocked the strike. But Leo used the contact to push off the creature's egg-shaped head, flipping and landing with catlike poise. The golem, surprisingly, stumbled.

"Perfect." Leo's grin widened as he steadied his stance. Around him, the dense threads of ambient mana coiled and pulsed. With practiced focus, he drew them in, circulating them through his body just as Alicia had taught him.

This was it—the chance to test everything he'd learned that night in the forest. Alicia's ability to strengthen a specific part of her body with mana had stuck with Leo, and thanks to the azure eye, he'd figured out how to mimic it.

The golem was recovering fast. Its eyes bore into Leo with renewed hostility, yet it didn't move. That alone was suspicious enough to make Leo pause. He activated the azure eye again.

"Not good," he breathed.

Amidst the dull brown of the golem's mana signature, a swirling red glow had begun to manifest in its chest. The threads were twisted, chaotic.

That red mana—Leo had seen it before.

"No way... vampires?" He didn't have time to dwell on the possibility. If the golem was drawing power from some cursed blood magic, it meant Leo had to act now.

He clenched his right hand. Azure mana whirled into brilliant lines across his arm, flowing down into the dagger. The blade shone, humming with restrained power.

Boom

The tunnel lit up in a blinding flash of blue. The burst of light surged down every corridor for a heartbeat before vanishing, plunging the place back into darkness.

Leo stood panting, dagger still smoking from the explosive strike. At his feet lay the golem, a gaping hole in its chest where the crimson glow had once been.

"Incredible..." he whispered.

Kneeling down, he reached into the cavity, fingers closing around a glowing core. It was the size of a large fruit and pulsed with a deep red light. Runic etchings spiraled along its smooth surface.

"A mana core." Leo narrowed his eyes. He couldn't make out the runes—clearly ancient, beyond his study. With no other choice, he tucked the core into his cloak and turned toward the rune circle.

"Dead," he murmured, tapping the dulled inscriptions on the floor.

Modern mages had long abandoned this style—drawn-out ritualistic circles in favor of instantaneous spells. Leo couldn't exactly blame them. "No one wants to spend hours drawing fancy runes when a fireball takes two words," he said with a dry laugh.

Still, a part of him was fascinated. "Would be nice to learn though..."

He stepped past the corpse of the guardian and vanished into the darkness of the next tunnel.

---

(Inside the Elyrian royal hall)

"I'm afraid the Queen isn't around at the moment."

Hamilton bowed his head as Hilda studied him with a quiet intensity. Her golden eyes narrowed.

"Where is she?" Hilda asked, lips tight with restraint.

"She didn't say," Hamilton replied, carefully keeping his tone neutral. "But rest assured, God-rank Hilda, I stand in her stead."

"Great," Hilda smiled politely, though the sarcasm wrapped within was far from subtle.

"I have a question for you." She stepped forward, eyes locking with Hamilton's.

"So long as it is within my power to answer," he said cautiously, "ask."

"Do you have access to the royal vault?"

That did it. Hamilton's face shifted—uncertainty mixing with alarm. Still, he nodded.

"Good." Hilda's lips curled into a fox-like grin. "The Sun has sent me to retrieve an item from there."

Hamilton blinked. "Does the Queen know about this?"

"No." Hilda didn't hesitate.

"So..." he sighed. "They sent you knowing she wouldn't be here?"

"They did." She picked up the crystal goblet beside her and took a sip. "And as a member of the Sun, surely you understand where your loyalty must lie."

Hamilton's fingers tightened around the scepter leaning against his chair. "What is it that the Sun wants?"

"Nothing much," Hilda said with a casual wave. "Just a certain knife."

When Hamilton didn't move, she leaned in slightly, muttering a quick incantation. A golden feather appeared between them, radiating divine light.

Hamilton gasped. "Ignus's feather..."

"Straight from the high altar," Hilda said softly.

Hamilton swallowed his protest and stood. "Follow me."

"Works every time," Hilda muttered, hiding her amusement as she followed him with deliberate, slow steps. Her aged body moved with deceptive frailty, belying the immense power that pulsed just beneath the surface.