178 COLLEAGUES OF THE PUBLISHER SYSTEM

178 COLLEAGUES OF THE PUBLISHER SYSTEM

"What… what is this?" Sakema's voice quivered, a mix of fury and disbelief coursing through her words.

"Touch of Immobility," Leo replied casually, dusting off his hands as if he'd just finished a mundane task. "You practically gave me a free touch. Can't blame on taking it."

"Roll the dice!" Sakema shouted, her voice echoing with desperation.

A shimmering, magical dice materialized in the air, spinning wildly before landing on a gleaming Six.

A triumphant laugh escaped Sakema's lips as the immobilizing spell shattered around her. "Hahaha! Your tricks won't hold me, Leo!"

"Damn that fucking roll," Leo muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening.

Sakema's thorny appendages, sharp and phallic, lashed out toward Leo, seeking to ensnare him. He couldn't cast the Touch of Immobility again—its power required time to recharge, and there was no shortcut for such a potent ability.

"Damn it all," Leo growled, his mind racing for another plan.

"I'll kill you, Lilleo Gullee, and reclaim my Rose Garden!" Sakema screamed, her voice dripping with venom.

But before she could strike, her body jerked violently. Ethereal, glowing tentacles wrapped around her, pulling her back with an unyielding grip.

"What is this?!" Sakema roared, thrashing against the magical bindings.

Madam Chantrieri gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "Petunia, how did you—?"

Petunia stood behind Sakema, her hands firmly gripping an ancient artifact.

It was the Tentacle of Mahari, the very relic Kaledon Cergontyn used to capture her in the ruins of Sodom. After their return, Leo sent the artifact to the Assassin Workshop's secret alley for repairs.

He'd modified its magic, replacing the need for external power sources with Petunia's own immense magic reserves. The artifact's spell had been enhanced too, now capable of restraining even a mage at the peak of Svad.

Petunia, burdened with the sin of Envy, possessed no extraordinary skills, but her Envy counters were a wellspring of raw magical energy. She was, in essence, a living mana Bank—more than capable of fueling the Tentacle of Mahari's demanding power requirements.

"What are these tentacles? Release me!" Sakema shrieked, her voice a mix of rage and panic.

Petunia's gaze flicked to Kasshyek. "Kasshyek, bring the leashes!"

Without hesitation, Kasshyek and his soldiers advanced, encircling the trapped Rose Demon with enchanted leashes designed to suppress her magic. The air crackled with tension as the restraints tightened around her.

"You think these will hold me?" Sakema snarled, her thorns twitching as she struggled against the spell on her. "I'll break free!"

As if in response, another spectral dice materialized, spinning wildly before landing on a Two. Sakema's body shuddered as a surge of strength returned to her limbs. With a fierce cry, she tore through Petunia's tentacle spell, snapping the bindings.

"See?" she hissed, her voice dripping with malice. "Even a bad roll can undo your pathetic magic!"

Leo remained calm, his expression unreadable. "Maybe so, but that roll won't save you from the leashes."

By then, the enchanted restraints had already coiled around her neck and ankles, their magic suppressing her power completely.

Sakema thrashed, but the leashes held firm.

"What are you doing to me?" she growled, her eyes blazing with hatred as she glared up at Leo.

He stepped closer, his movements deliberate and unhurried. Extending a hand, he brushed the air with a calculated gesture.

"I'm taking you home," he said, his voice laced with finality. "Back to your fucking Rose Garden."

Before Sakema could utter another word, Leo's hand shot up, the glint of his Ward Ring catching the light. With a swift, deliberate motion, he activated its power.

Sakema's form dissolved into streams of light, her body vanishing from sight as she was pulled into the ring's enchanted confines.

During his time in the shadowy alleys of the Assassin Workshop, Leo not only repaired the Ward Ring but enhanced it. No longer limited to housing mere bees, the ring had been reforged to contain far greater prey.

Powerful restraining spells had been woven into its core, designed to suppress even the most formidable of captives. It was no longer just a tool—it was a mobile prison.

Sakema's furious cries were silenced, her presence sealed away within the ring's magical depths.

Leo exhaled slowly, his shoulders relaxing as he turned to face the others. "It's fucking done," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The Rose Demon was gone.

Madam Chantrieri stared at the scene in disbelief, her hands trembling. Petunia limped to her side, helping her mother stand.

Leo turned to them, his voice steady. "It's over—for now. You'll probably never see her again."

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[The Palace of Willows]

"You're back so soon?" Yun-Yun asked, raising an eyebrow as Leo entered the chamber. "Have you dealt with the Rose Demon?"

"Yes," Leo replied, waving his hand dismissively.

Suddenly, the Rose Demon materialized in the room, bound in glowing magical restraints, her furious gaze fixed on the jade throne before her.

"So, you wanted to see this place, didn't you?" Yun-Yun asked, her tone almost mocking.

"What have you done to my dungeon?" Sakema demanded, her voice seething with rage. She writhed against the restraints, but their magic held firm.

"It's no longer your dungeon," Leo said coldly. "In fact, it hasn't been yours for a very long time."

Sakema snarled, and an ethereal set of dice shimmered into existence above her, spinning and glowing ominously.

Yun-Yun's eyes widened slightly, a mix of shock and amusement flickering across her face. "I thought everyone from our generation was long gone."

"You… you're a quester too?" Sakema spat, glaring at Yun-Yun.

The dice abruptly stopped spinning, their glow dimming before they vanished entirely.

"What happened to my dice?" Sakema hissed, her voice tinged with panic.

Yun-Yun smirked. "The Publisher's dice doesn't work inside our dungeon. The dungeon's magic will nullify it. I made sure of it."

Sakema's anger faltered, replaced by a flicker of desperation. "What are you going to do to me?"

Yun-Yun tilted her head thoughtfully. "You and I are colleagues of the Publisher world, so to speak. Shouldn't we take some time to chat?"