Passerby Villain In A Wizard World-Chapter 259: Hidden Conspiracy

"Boom!"

As more time passed, the more restless the spiritual fire became as it began to wreak havoc everywhere.

Moreover, it seemed to be influenced by some ability of the mirror; it was bombarding everywhere randomly with no focus.

And Arvhael and the black-robed youth were watching the ongoing fiasco intently as if waiting for something.

Just when they were watching with interest, they saw the spiritual fire suddenly stop in its tracks.

It was as if it had completely lost interest and didn't care about the mirror anymore.

Even when the mirror glowed and tried to bind it, it remained unbothered.

"It is time. Increase the power of the Mirror. Don't let it run."

Seeing such weird behavior, Arvhael suddenly spoke and ordered the black-robed guy.

His expression had already turned serious, unlike the easygoing look before.

"Don't worry, it can't break the mirror even if it self-explodes."

However, the guy beside him replied, showing his confidence in his artifact.

In fact, he was indeed correct, as this mirror was a part of a Legendary artifact anyhow.

It wasn't that easy to get rid of its control.

Well, of course, it also depended on the person who controlled it.

"Kid, aren't you too confident? Don't rely on artifacts too much. There is nothing that cannot be broken in this world."

Seeing how confident this guy was, Arvhael was annoyed and lectured a bit. Then he ignored him completely as he didn't want to waste too many of his words.

While they were arguing, the spiritual fire that had stalled finally began to move.

Well, rather than saying moved, it suddenly began to expand rapidly, increasing manyfold its entire size.

From outside, it almost looked like a giant fireball floating atop with incredible momentum.

Then, as if getting a command from the boss, the entire range of the volcano began to shake as a large amount of fiery mana began to converge rapidly, which in turn increased the size of the fireball.

"It's coming!"

Arvhael, who saw all of this from the sky, wasn't surprised but a little excited as he mumbled with a spark in his eyes.

"Creak!"

Just as he said those words, the fiery ball that had almost filled half the cage suddenly collapsed inward to its initial size.

Then, in its place, multiple blazing lotuses suddenly appeared, spreading across the entire volcanic area that had once been covered by its enormous size.

The process was so sudden that, even if one stared without blinking, it was impossible to discern how they had appeared.

What was clear, however, was that these lotuses were numerous and appeared real, their petals flickering with violent intent.

Then... as expected, they... went boom.

First, only the tiny lotus at the center exploded.

After that, as if some switch had been pressed, all the lotuses began to explode one by one, circularly in every corner, making a chain of explosions.

Suddenly, the damage from such an attack became so massive that even the mirror that was covering the volcano began to rumble as if it was about to get destroyed.

However, fortunately, since the mirror had already made the spiritual fire confused with its ability, the explosions were random and weren't targeted at its weak point.

"Ugh!"

Still, the black-robed guy who was controlling it didn't escape as he suddenly sprouted a mouthful of blood due to backlash from the artifact.

Just because you had a good weapon didn't mean you would be invincible.

In any world, strength always comes from within.

"Blaze Requiem!"

"The ultimate ability of the Breath of the First Flame. After the first lotus explodes, it will enter a brief dormancy and begin to absorb the explosive fiery intent, preparing for the next eruption."

However, Arvhael didn't care what happened to him, but mumbled what this ability was.

"If we let it do the third explosion, even your so-called Mirror cannot hold it down."

He explained and then finally looked at the black-robed guy.

"Open the Mirror briefly just when it goes into dormancy, and let me enter. Then, let me subdue it while you use the illusion ability at full power."

"Don't let me down. As long as I can get this fire, you will get me as your backer."

The nobleman warned the guy who was wiping off blood from his mouth with his hand as if nothing had happened.

However, hearing his words, the guy looked at Arvhael and said coldly,

"Screw that! Don't give me your flimsy words. Give me the potion I want, just as you promised, and I will help you."

He snarled while holding himself steady, controlling the mirror as the explosion was still going on.

"Heh... you peasants are really annoying. You don't know what you are missing."

Arvhael wasn't surprised by this guy's rude behavior, but scoffed in disdain and suddenly took out a test tube with a blue liquid inside.

Then, without caring about it, he threw it towards the black-robed guy.

"Take this regeneration potion with the Bloodstone Rune, and you will gain your arm back just as I promised."

"Now that my deal is over, you can fulfill yours. Don't let me down."

Arvhael said without caring whether Carl would default on the debt. He had this confidence.

'Finally!'

Seeing the potion, Carl hurriedly grabbed it with his remaining arm, his face lit up with delight.

After losing his arm that day on the ship, he didn't know how many places he searched just to gain it back.

Now, finally seeing the hope in front, of course, Carl couldn't control his emotions as he looked visibly delighted as a tiny smile finally appeared on his face.

'Kid, control your emotions and focus on the present. You won't be able to control this mirror for long. Get to the next plan immediately, we can't get distracted.'

Just when he was distracted, a timely voice reminded him in his mind, bringing him back.

'Yeah, I know. Don't worry.'

Hearing Ruther's words, Carl calmed down.

He then placed the potion directly inside the soul ring and looked at Arvhael, who was looking at him with a faint, mocking smile.

"Okay, since you have kept your promise, I will keep mine. Don't worry."

But Carl didn't care as he ignored Arvhael and looked below where the explosion was finally coming to an end.

"That's for the best. You know who I am. Don't play tricks with me."

Arvhael warned, then suddenly pulled out his staff from the mana ring.

Well, although it was called a staff, it was really just a scorched branch, charred by fire and jagged at the ends.

It looked so out of place in his hand that it didn't match his luxurious outfit at all.

However, the moment he revealed it, Carl's expression turned solemn.

After all, he knew that the staff wasn't just any broken branch.

It was a piece of the young World Tree, struck by lightning and infused with both the intent of life and destruction.

It was a treasure among treasures for low-level wizards, a sacred relic most could only dream of touching.

From this alone, one could see just how terrifying Arvhael's background truly was.

"Now! Open it!"

Finally, the massive explosion inside the Mirror came to an end as the situation cleared up inside from all the ongoing fireworks.

Once the explosion subsided, what remained inside were only the fiery prongs of fire and flowing lava.

As for the chamber and tall volcanic mountain, they completely disappeared as if they weren't there to begin with.

Then, just as Arvhael described, the spiritual fire that returned to its normal size suddenly became still at the center again, just like before.

However, this time, instead of absorbing mana, it began to draw in the fiery intent that was visible, despite it being intangible.

Their sharp breath of destruction felt breathtaking even from afar.

Seeing the spiritual fire go dormant like that, Arvhael suddenly ordered Carl, then jumped from the transparent platform, dropping straight from the sky onto the top of the mirror.

"Swish!"

And Carl also suddenly opened a small opening on the top of the mirror as ordered, allowing Arvhael to enter the space smoothly.

"Tempest Shroud!"

Before he entered, though, Arvhael chanted a spell that cloaked his entire body in a twisted tempest of wind and crackling lightning, making his figure blur within the roaring storm.

The tempest was so strong that those fiery intents couldn't even stop his descent or even remotely harm him as he directly appeared next to the spiritual fire that was in the process of gathering.

"Heh, I finally got you!"

He mumbled with excited eyes as finally, he was going to get this juvenile spiritual fire that had recently gained sentience.

As long as he refined it, he would have another trump card at his disposal.

"Well, let's not delay anymore and collect it."

He thought, not realizing the entrance he just came from was slowly closing behind.

But since he was too excited or never thought Carl would back out like this, he didn't see that.

"Tch... don't you like to scold me as peasants? Let me see how you will escape this time."

In the sky, Carl mumbled with a look of hatred as he slowly closed the entrance with the last trace of control over the mirror.

'Don't be too spiteful. If he escapes, you will be the one on the run.'

Ruther advised from the ring while paying close attention to the mirror with his mental power.

"Heh... if he can really escape, I don't mind becoming his henchman. But... do you think it is possible? Haha..."

Carl questioned and laughed as he felt his control over the mirror finally disappear.

'Well, you are right!'

And surprisingly, Ruther also agreed to his words and stopped persuading, waiting silently to see the show in front.

...

"...so you are hiding here?"

While both Carl and Arvhael were planning, there was another person who was silently witnessing everything from behind with a faint smile on his face.

"Interesting... so there was another guy with you... and it seems you want to pit him.

"Tch tch... Poor guy... Let me see what your plans are..."

Ian smiled while hiding his figure, ready to witness what was about to unfold.

Now, the show that was supposed to belong to that noble had transcended threefold, becoming more and more complex.

Nobody knew who would come out on top.