Chapter 308: Ch 307: That Field of Flowers

Six months.

That was the time it took Kael to prepare everything and get started on the final plan. Everyone else was already set up. The seeds that had been planted six months ago were finally starting to bloom, and soon they would bear fruit as well.

Kael took his position on top of the skyscraper with the chant ready.

It was time to open the vault and allow the corruption inside.

The barrier cracked a little under Kael’s invitation, and the corruption started to rain down all around him. It started as a few drops before it began to rain harder.

"Ah, looks like it’s finally time. Welcome to my domain. So, did you have a hard time trying to find me?"

Kael taunted the corruption, which immediately made it zone in on him. It rushed toward him, but he quickly jumped down the building.

Due to the flowers, the environment around Kael was mana-rich, and because of this, he had a considerably easier time using magic.

He used it to dodge the energy beams thrown toward him by the corruption before invoking barriers around the place.

The corruption tried to break through, but the divine energy was too much for it to bear.

"What’s wrong? Can’t get to me?"

Kael taunted the corruption, which snapped out of its daze and rushed toward him once more.

This time, it started to form below him as well, and Kael broke it just enough to let Leon cut through the thick corrupted mist.

The corruption tried to resist, but it was of no use.

Leon caught Kael’s arm, and they landed softly. But the corruption was hardly done.

It was getting up once more in an attempt to grab Kael, which was shot down by Elena.

The corruption started to split, but Elena used her overwhelming magic to command dead bodies back to life.

Since they held no life, there was nothing for the corruption to corrupt. Thus, for the first time, it began to feel overwhelmed.

Usually, this was the time when it started to suck the mana out of the air and convert it into its own power, but that road had already been cut off.

"Sorry, but you are not going to get a chance to catch any of us today. And since you are surrounded now, why don’t you hand over those three idiots to me?"

Kael asked, and the corruption almost responded as if it understood what he was asking for. But then it started to retreat back into its shell.

"Tsk, do you think it will be that easy for you to retreat like this? Come back here—!"

Kael complained and formed a divine barrier around the corruption, causing it to start letting out loud yells.

But Kael did not lower the intensity of his barrier until he was sure it could not reach any of the three people he needed to.

"It’s of no use. As long as those three still have their essence, Goddess Aria can use them to continue living. What should we do now?"

Elena sounded frustrated, and it was clear to see that she was holding herself back from cursing. She still had mercy and compassion for her former friends.

Leon, on the other hand, held no such compassion in his dictionary.

"Should I knock them around a bit so that we can talk to them?"

The ex-hero cracked his knuckles in a menacing way, and Kael almost agreed with him before he recalled that Leon was not simply joking around. He would actually try and see his promise through.

But Kael doubted it was going to do much at this point.

"Let’s try and get those three out first. I think I might have an idea of how to attract their attention."

Seraphina had shown herself last time when Kael was in danger. Based on that logic, if he was in danger again, then Seraphina or the other two were likely to show up.

But if it fails, then the consequences won’t be good...

’It is a risk I don’t know will pay off or not. I know I should not be taking this risk...’

And yet, Kael wanted to take this risk just this once. He wanted to put his trust in Iris, Lyra, and Seraphina.

"Hey, don’t try and be a hero. There is no need for you to be acting this brave alone. This is all of our problem—"

"But I am the only solution we have, right? Then, let me at least try. And if it looks like I won’t make it, pull me out at all costs."

Kael told the pair standing behind him, but he did not wait around to hear their reply.

Trusting only himself, Kael stepped forward until his feet touched the corruption.

It began to crawl up his body, intending to swallow him whole. But Kael did not feel afraid.

After all, he was starting to feel the familiar essence swirling in the corruption in front of him.

The moment the corruption touched him, Kael felt a strange sensation spread through his body, almost as if something was searching through every part of his being. He could feel the familiar essence more clearly now, buried deep within the corrupted energy and desperately trying to reach him.

"Just a little more..."

Kael whispered as he allowed the corruption to crawl further up his body without resisting it.

He could hear Elena and Leon shouting something behind him, but their voices were becoming increasingly distant as the corruption continued to surround him.

Then, for the first time, Kael felt something answer his call.

A faint pulse of divine energy traveled through the corruption and reached his body.

Kael’s eyes widened.

He knew that feeling.

"This is... Lyra..."

The corruption suddenly trembled violently, as if something inside it had awakened.

Kael smiled despite the danger surrounding him.

’It worked.’

Now all he had to do was grab onto Lyra and drag her body out. He was not going to give her a choice, just like he had not when she had been cursed to be a beast.