With Master and Lady Senna present, the endless Sentinels became succinct. Master had instantly aimed for the leader Sentinel. Once killed, the Sentinels stopped appearing. Looks like the Sentinels are spawned by the leader.

I laughed dryly in my heart.

The two made my hardship seemed like a joke, is what I want to retort but after my [Wrath of Oni] ended, I entered a state of extreme exhaustion. I let my body fell to the ground. My bottom hit hard but my depleted vigor didn't allow me to care for such small matters.

"You can relax now. Everything's all right." Master assures me.

"What about Nilin?" I asked.

"We have a Dryad on our side now, a Spirit of Nature too. She knows healing magic. Nilin will be fine."

Healing magic? When I appraise the Dryad named Kirin for short, I don't see any healing magic. The Arcane Arts she does have are, [Nature Magic], [Spirit Magic], [Mana Control], [Alchemy] and [Soul Magic]. She has another Arcane Art but for unknown reasons, the words are in gibberish.

I asked master about it but he only told me Kirin refuses to say anything.

Anyways, I still don't see any healing magic on the list.

No, wait. She does have healing magic but it is under [Spirit Magic]. She's using it right now to heal Nilin. [Spirit Magic: Spirit Mend], that is the healing spell's name.

When I see Nilin's health recovered to a certain extent, I was able to finally let myself loose. I have really thought Nilin would have died, you know?

"You did good, Tom. You did good."

Ah, I was praised by master. It felt good but....

[I'm hearing them again.] I told master through telepathy. Only master knew about my condition.

[The voices?] Kai asked.

I nodded. [But I managed. I was able to resist its influence.]

[That's good.] Master nodded along. He then raised an eyebrow. [Say Kai, do you think the Sealing Magic is still necessary?]

[We have yet to know the extent and depth of the voice's influence. It's still best to keep it under wrap for now. For maximum insurance, let's reapply the seal.]

[I see.]

[I understand.] I nod to Kai's words. Even if I'm able to resist its temptation and influence this time, there's no telling if the results would be the same on the next. Caution must be exercised, you know.

Master just casually puts his hand on my shoulder. Not one minute passed, he let go and said, "It's done."

That was fast. I don't even feel anything. Hmm... I guess I do feel my mind to be a little bit calmer. My Mana is recovering but not as fast as usual. Looks like this is one of the drawbacks of [Wrath of Oni]. It might be best if I kept it as a last resort.

"Engrande." Someone said.

We all look to the voice. It was Kirin. She's pointing at the only passageway available in this room. Of course, she's not neglecting her duty in healing Nilin.

"Engrande?" Master asked back.

"Colossus." Kirin answered. She doesn't speak much, does she?

"I see. So this is where they sealed the final source. Which explains the Sentinels."

[Can I know what are you all talking about?] I asked through telepathy.

After an "Oh right, Tom's in the dark." Master told me everything about the ventures in the forest at the east. Looks like master's burden has increased. At least, Kirin isn't too haughty like Nilin.

Nevertheless, I can feel master's subtle rage whenever he brings up anything related to "Harbinger".

While I'm thinking of such things, Master and Lady Senna has begun heading to the passageway without me. When master noticed me who was standing up, he gestured me to sit back down.

"You can rest easy for the moment. We got this."

"No." I stood up despite master's gestures. "Let me go with you." I persisted while pushing down a gasp for air.

"Tom, you're not in a very good shape."

"I know but I want to test my limits."

Master looks surprised. He's blinking at me. "Tom, I know the backlash of your new Arcane Art. You need to rest for now."

"No, I need to do this. I have to."

"Tom...."

"Hyx, please.

Master froze when I said his name.

"The only reason I was able to resist it was because I didn't back down when all the odds were against me. I didn't give up when the only seeming outcome is me and Nilin's death. I am still alive because I went over my limit. The voices in my head will win the next time. I'm sure of that but not if I keep testing myself beyond my limits. Like I did just now."

"Tom. You were lucky to survive that."

"Yes, I was. But now, I have you and Lady Senna to make sure that nothing too bad is going to happen. If I'm really hurt, there's Kirin."

"Nn?"

I said what I wanted to say, leaving an astounded gaze from Lady Senna and Master.

[Good heavens, Thomas Atlas. Did you hit your head too hard just now?] Kai asked.

[I just came to a realization. That's all.]

Master sighed. "Fine. You do have a point." He looks to Lady Senna.

"If it's us, I don't think we'll have any trouble protecting Tom now, wouldn't we?"

For a second, master had a dark gaze but it was quickly glossed by the faint smile he put on after. "I suppose so."

Something's wrong with master and Lady Senna realized it too. As the two closest persons to master, we both know if master doesn't wish to talk about it, there wouldn't be any point in asking. Unlike me, Lady Senna doesn't look like the type to back down, especially if its master.

"Let's go." Master said and disappears into the passageway.

After exchanging understanding nods with Lady Senna, we followed right behind master.

"Well.... he's pretty big." Master remarked at the five meter tall giant of a man.

On his knees with his hands tied behind his back, the giant is wrapped in ethereal chains and impaled with rods which are also ethereal. This must be [Sealing Magic], just like how master described it. I expected [Arcane Analysis] to be blocked but it was not. Thus, I am shown the results.

Name: Engrande

Gender: Male

Age: 68

Race: Colossus

Status: Slumber (Deep)

Standing: None

Job: None

Class: Forge Grandmaster

Titles:

-Arcane Blacksmith

-True Judge of Arms

-Master of Craft

-One Who Tempers Life

-Shura

-Enlightened One

Arcane Arts

Mana Control - Lv. 10

Herculean Strength- Lv. 8

Magic Melee Arts - Lv. 6

Fire Magic - Lv. 7

Earth Magic - Lv. 8

Forge Fire - Lv. 10

Transmutation - Lv. 10

Magic Enchantment - Lv. 6

Appraisal - Lv. 10

Shura (Legacy) - Lv. 8

HP: 3500/3500

MP: 1000/1000

Overall Power Ranking: A

Effective Combat Power: 5500

-Attack: 1000

-Defense: 1000

-Magic: 1500

-Resistance: 600

-Speed: 400

Not just any blacksmith, an arcane blacksmith. A master arcane blacksmith with combat skills, you know. His ECP is quite balance. An all-rounder, master called these ones as such.

"Forge Grandmaster....." Master mused. "With those kinds of skills and titles, how much you want to bet that he knows the secret to that fucking door?"

"How much I want to bet?" I asked.

Master raised an eyebrow at my question. After a moment passed, master said "Oh. I just mean it as a figure of speech. Don't take it too literal."

I nodded. It was the only way I know how to respond when master spoke of such things. I think I gave up at some point in trying to understand master's oddness. The shared memories helped but it can only do so much.

See, even Lady Senna is shaking her head like she has given up.

Interrupting my thoughts, three black garbed figures appeared before us. They are floating from the ground and wielding bone scythe with length that matches their height. They look like human's depiction of death reapers. Are they reapers? Since they're called Lich Lords, I don't think so?

[Wow.... How original....] Contrary to master's words, there was no excitement in master's tone. I believe this is called sarcasm?

"Eww~ What are these vile things?" Lady Senna asked, hiding her mouth behind her hand. Instead of looking disgusted, she looks like she's making an appeal. To whom? I think that's obvious.

[She's very needy, isn't she?] Kai said.

[Shut up.] Master responded in brief.

The appraisal ability told me that the Lich Lords are B-ranks. No ECP, so not a sapient species. Their Arcane Arts look a little bit troublesome.

Arcane Arts

Shadow Magic

Abyss Magic

Death Magic

Magic Melee Arts

Magic Channel

Death Inhibitor (Legacy)

Now that I looked closely, monster and Magic Beasts' Arcane Arts don't have levels. They don't have ECP and levels, I wonder why.

[Death Inhibitor? What the fuck is that?] Master asked in a loud voice through telepathy.

Death Inhibitor

- Prevents the death of the owner of this Arcane Art. Remains active as long as the owner has ample amount of Mana.

Death Magic

- Magic the embraces the aspects of death. Most spells under Death Magic have high lethality rate and are ineffective against undeads.

[Well, we just need to exhaust them of their Mana. Done deal, right?]

[Check the ability above Death Inhibitor.] Kai told us.

Magic Channel

- Constantly replenish owner's Mana at a rate higher than the standard. Replenishing rate increases proportionally with owner's passivity.

"Fuck! A! Duck!" Master yelled out.

The Lich Lords must have taken master's sudden shout as a declaration of attack. They launched javelins of purplish black energy at master. [Abyssal Javelin]. Before I knew it, Lady Senna, an individual more absurd than master has made her way in between the Lich Lords and master. She blocked the javelins with her wings.

"Hyx, are you alright?" In a very alarmed voice, she asked.

"Eh? I'm fine."

"You sure? You shouted out so suddenly just now."

"Oh, that? I just saw his Arcane Arts and boy..... they are not fun to go against."

When Lady Senna tilted in question, master told Lady Senna about the Lich Lords' Arcane Arts.

"Oh? That is indeed very troublesome." Lady Senna said.

While the two were conversing, the Lich Lords approached us with their bone scythes raised.

"Chiee~!" With a very vexed look, Lady Senna swept the Lich Lords away with just a flap of her wings. Apparently, it's not some magic but a simple skill. Lady Senna unleashed a wide range of light that burns away the Lich Lords, [Scorching Radiance].

When the lights died out, only the black scorched marks of the Lich Lords remained.

Is it dead?

[Give it a minute.]

Shortly after, the Lich Lords reappeared from the black scorch marks they were reduced to.

"Ara~?" Lady Senna made a cute sound with her head titled and her finger on her lips. Master sighed at such sight. Just moments after they resurrected, Lady Senna bombarded the Lich Lords with her attack spells again. This continued on until the tenth time.

"Mou~ They really don't die, do they?"

"Well, with [Magic Channel], as long as they stay still in their place, they could recover their Mana faster than they could use."

"Drain their Mana, dear?"

"Worth a shot." Master said and sealed the Lich Lords movement with [Warden's Chain]. The Lich Lords fired [Energy Sphere] at master but he lifted pieces of the ground up in defense with [Psychokinesis]. As extra precaution, master even puts up [Plane Displacement]. Right after their attacks ended, master moved in. Placing his hand on one of the Lich Lords, master uses [Mana Transmission] but before the draining could even start, some black substance crawled onto master's arm. [Death Magic: Plague Touch], is what appraisal told me.

[Ah....] Master utters such sounds and retreated immediately. Casting [Overload], master vented out the black energy in his hand but at the cost of destroying his arm's interior.

Ha!? Did master just did that? Blood oozes out from the burst blood veins. Master just stares at his bleeding arm with hollow agape eyes.

"Ah...! What are you doing?" Lady Senna asked in a fluster.

"What?" Master snapped back and asked with a dumbfounded face. "Getting rid of the deadly miasma encroached in my arm?"

Master, hurting yourself to prevent further injuries is a sign of madness, you know?

"Mou~! You could have just ask me. I have [Purify]."

"Oh. Okay. I remember that the next time I get cursed, alright?"

Although Master said such things, Lady Senna still looks unsatisfied. Still, she returns to her usual compose self and grabbed master's hand. She then invoked a spell, [Light Magic: Heal].

"You have healing magic?" Master asked.

"I do but.... I'm not good at it.... Healing is not my..... specialty. I can only destroy...." Lady Senna answered, slowly.

"I see. Thanks." Master said and caressed her cheek.

Lady Senna giggled.

[TP - motherfucking - O, Hyx! The Edge Lords are still here!] yelled Kai.

Edge Lords? Even Kai begins to talk weirdly like master? Wait, no. Kai is master and master is Kai, this much should be expected..... Ah.... this is getting kinda confusing, you know.

[I know.] Master responded and cast [Force Push] to repel the incoming Lich Lords. They went tumbling together away from us. Apparently, the spell was so strong that it had killed the Lich Lords. Of course, they resurrected through [Death Inhibitor].

Seriously, with master and Lady Senna here, I can barely feel any gravity to the situation.

"Okay.... this is going to be such a pain in the ass...." Master said.

[No choice. We only have one option.]

[Ah.... I seriously don't want to use that....]

[Use what?] I pop into their conversation.

[Soul Harvest, that's what.]

[Why not?]

[Thomas, there's something you should know about Soul Harvest.]

[Hmm?]

[The souls consumed by Soul Harvest, they don't joined the cycle of life and death. Instead, they linger perpetually inside of the ones who consumed it. In other words, they don't get to reincarnate or move on to the afterlife. Frequent usage of this skill will eventually disrupt the balance of this world, literally. Which is why, master is trying to not use it as much as possible.]

[That's so.... If that's the case, then Clammis.....]

[.... Yes.] Master answered. [I have.... damned her soul for eternity.... Funny, right?]

[Master.... I....]

[It's alright.... It's already nothing.... I just need to be careful from now on.... Just remember this, Tom. Our powers are different from the norms, that much is clear. Our actions will have significant consequences. You are a great example. I resurrected you but the voices in your head is the price. Do you understand, Tom?]

[I do.]

[Good. Now, let's finish this. Cause I'm not in a very good mood.]

[Did something happened back at the forest?]

[Heh. Don't ask.]

[Got it.] I replied so. Such a brief answer from master is never a good sign.

"Angie, can you weaken the Lich Lords instead of killing them? I have a plan."

"Sure." Lady Senna nodded. She twists her body and spreads her wings. Aura of black and white in the shapes of blades are sent towards the Lich Lords. In response, the Lich Lords use [Magic Melee Arts] to cut away the aura blades and evade the ones they couldn't intercept with their scythe. Due to the magnitude of this spell, they can't defend against it forever and eventually, they succumbed to multiple injuries.

"Angie! Please, hold back!"

"Ah~?"

I wonder why master suddenly yelled at Lady Senna but Kai directed me to look at the sealed Colossus behind the Lich Lords who are getting bombarded.

HP: 1200/3500

MP: 1000/1000

Oh. She's hitting the Colossus too. Looks like Lady Senna realized that too after getting yelled at. She then stops her barrage of attacks.

[For heaven's sake, this woman.... I didn't take her for an all brawns and no brains.]

[Trying saying that directly at her face, Master.]

[Fuck. No. I'm not an idiot.]

After saying that, master invoked [Soul Harvest]. The Lich Lords don't have automatic recovery spells for health although they have one for Mana. So they could only await their end as the black tendrils close in on them.

I look away when the black tendrils devour them. Since the Lich Lords are literally Mana Vessels, Souls, the sight was a little too intense when they were devoured. Even master was a little taken aback by it.

"That was unpleasant." Subtly, master shudders.

Agree. The death sounds that the Lich Lords made aren't helping either.

After waiting for a few moments, master concluded that the Lich Lords have truly being eliminated.

"Well, that's that."

[Hmm.... Out of all the Arcane Arts the Lich Lords have, we have only gotten two. Magic Melee Arts and Death Inhibitor.]

[Why?]

[I think it's because you gave up Abyss Magic. Abyss Magic is the highest tier of Dark Magics. You gave that away and you lost the aptitude for even the lower tiers. So inefficient.]

[Ah.... I see... What about Magic Channel?]

[Hahahaha. Very Funny. You got me. You don't need a watered down version.]

[Is that so?]

"Couldn't you have used that from the beginning?" Lady Senna asked.

"I have my reasons." Master retorted and walked towards the Colossus but he was grabbed on the wrist by Lady Senna. She stares intently at master. Master sighs and put his hand on top of hers. "I'll tell you everything later, okay?"

"Promise."

"I promise."

And Lady Senna releases her grip but not her gaze which is still on master. For some reasons, her eyes reminded me of goblins when they eyeing on their female victims. I'm slightly worried for master, to be honest.

Black tendrils emerged from master's back and ate away the chains and rods. No matter how many times I have seen it in action, [Soul Harvest] always have this eerie feeling to it. It just makes my skin crawl, you know?

We went into our battle stances when the status of the Colossus changed from Deep Slumber to Awakened.

The Colossus named Engrande opened his eyes wide. He blinked a few times. His eyes went from Lady Senna, master, and then to me. His face wasn't exactly monotonous but I don't have the slightest idea as to what he was thinking.

"Engrande." Kirin spoke. When did she got here? When I look to master and Lady Senna, I was the only one who is surprised. I guess my perception ability was too weak to notice?

"Little Dryad...." The Colossus said. When he sighed, we all felt the breeze. Master, who has the most sensitive nose of us four, flinch without any subtlety. I agree, his breath stinks.

"Friends." Kirin said while her finger jumps at all of us.

The faint smile on the Colossus face turned into a wide grin, which then turns into a laugh. "Hahahaha. I know. I know. That was one weird slumber, I have to say. My whole body is asleep and so is my soul but not my mind."

"So you know what is happening?" Master asked.

The Colossus named Engrande raised an eyebrow at master. "Ho? You must the shepherd the Granny Dryad is talking about."

"Talking about? You two were talking?"

"Ho? She didn't tell you?"

Master shakes his head.

"Ha.... She always were fond of suspense and drama, after all. Well, she speaks to me sometimes. I can't move my body. My only company is her. Her telepathy powers are no joke, you know? I am not aware of how much times has passed but I think it's a lot. She always spoke of a savior will be coming to free us from our suffering. I never did believe her. I was never one for faith. I was wrong. I was wrong. And...."

"Engrande." Kirin called out to Engrande who has started talking without stop and order.

"Oh? Sorry about that. It's just that I'm still not believing the current situation, you know? It has been a long time since I can talk and move with my own mouth and body, respectively of course. Wouldn't have it other way. It's good to know that the ones who betrayed us are long dead. That's good. That's good. Which comes down to another question, you...."

"Engrande." Kirin called out again.

"Ah? Sorry. Sorry about that. I have been sealed for a long time, after all."

Master looks so tired. His eyes are half-closed and his lips are flapping. I think he's saying, "please kill me". It couldn't be, right? Even Lady Senna is shaking her head while looking regrettable.

"Now, I know this is sudden but I must get this heavy feeling off my chest. I need to get this phantom pressure off my chest."

What's this? Why do I feel like something bad is going to happened?

"Care to have a spar with me, Shepherd?"

What did he just say?

"Ara~?"

"Ha..... Ha?" Master uttered such sound and turn to Kirin.

Kirin, with her expressionless face only bowed. "Sorry."

Master turns to me.

Forgive me, master but there comes a time when one must save its own skin, you know? I think this is one of those times.

"What's the matter, shepherd? Not feeling up to it? Your woman is watching, you know?"

I heard a giggle and I turn to Lady Senna who is fidgeting her whole body. I don't know how to say this but.... Lady Senna, you're looking pretty terrifying, you know?

Master sighs. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

"Hahahaha. I like your spirit, boy."

"Not for long." Master said as he rolled up his sleeves. Huh? I never seen master done something like that before.

"Well, to make it a fair fight," Engrande said and shrunk down to a height of only two meters. He was still considered the tallest in the room despite going below half his original height.

More exaggerated than master, Engrande took off his upper garments. "Now, let's make this fun."

While a smile lit up on Engrande's face, I can see master's face distorting further with annoyance. "Let's do this then." Master said and the fight begins.

[This is going to end so badly.] said Kai.