~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!~
"Ack!"
Philemon's head bobbed back as he received a powerful blow from Rey, forcing himself to remain conscious after acclimating to the impact.
The chamber remained warped and fractured as the battle reached its apex, the very air shimmering with the aftereffects of Philemon's spatial manipulations. Rey's eyes gleamed with determination as he tightened his grip on his blade, ready to push back even more against the so-called Archbishop.
Philemon recovered his composure quickly, slipping free from Rey's grasp and stepping back with a calm, unnerving smile.
"Impressive," he said, his tone laced with faint amusement. "You've managed to keep up longer than most. But playtime is over."
The Archbishop raised both hands, and the entire room seemed to collapse inward, space twisting chaotically as gravity shifted violently.
Rey felt his footing waver, but he smirked.
"Your fancy tricks won't work on me anymore," He muttered.
He activated [Spatial Echo], a Skill he'd copied from one of the Dragonoid Leaders he'd defeated in his earlier grinding sessions. A faint ripple surrounded him, stabilizing the space around his body and neutralizing Philemon's distortions.
"What?!" Philemon's calm mask cracked as he faltered, sensing his control slipping.
Rey charged forward, closing the distance in an instant. Philemon attempted to teleport, but Rey activated [Gravity Bind], anchoring the Archbishop to the ground. The room shook as Rey swung his blade, unleashing a wave of energy that slammed into Philemon and sent him flying into the far wall.
Philemon struggled to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "You've been... absorbing abilities," he said, his voice strained.
"You don't get to keep all the good tricks for yourself," Rey replied, a smirk on his lips. "I'm good at adapting."
Rey didn't let up.
With a swift motion, he activated [Time Disruptor], a countermeasure Skill designed to slow Philemon's movements. The Archbishop froze briefly, his reactions dulled as Rey closed the gap once more.
"You think you've won?" Philemon hissed, his voice laced with venom. "You have no idea what you're up against."
Suddenly, a glow enveloped Philemon's body, his energy spiking wildly. The space around him vibrated, and Rey felt a wave of intense heat and force radiating outward.
"He's trying to self-destruct," Rey realized, narrowing his eyes.
Philemon's smile returned, cruel and triumphant. "If I must fall, I will take you all with me. Long live the Dragon Emperor!"
The energy reached critical levels, threatening to tear apart the entire chamber and everyone in it. But Rey stood his ground, raising his hand as he chanted an incantation.
"[Absolute Stasis]."
A blinding light erupted from Rey's palm, enveloping Philemon's body and freezing the explosive energy in its tracks. The Archbishop's eyes widened in shock as the magic spell halted his detonation entirely, locking him in place.
"How...?" Philemon stammered, disbelief etched across his face.
Rey stepped forward, his expression cold and unyielding. He grabbed Philemon by the throat, lifting him off the ground effortlessly. The Archbishop's feet dangled as he clawed at Rey's grip, his power completely neutralized.
"You're not dying until I get some answers," Rey said, his voice low and deadly. "Now, start talking. What's the Dragon Emperor's real plan? What was here before you moved it? And why are you so desperate to stop me?"
Philemon glared at Rey, his defiance flickering beneath the fear. But Rey tightened his grip slightly, and the Archbishop winced.
"You're going to tell me everything," Rey continued, his tone unwavering. "Or I'll make you wish you had."
Philemon's smile faltered entirely as he stared into Rey's unyielding eyes.
Yet, his lips curled into a faint smirk.
"You think you're so clever," he rasped. "But even now... my brothers and sisters are moving against you."
Rey's eyes narrowed. He muttered an incantation under his breath, his hand glowing with a soft, eerie light.
"Truth Siphon." The Magic spell sank into Philemon's mind, bypassing his resistance, and Rey felt a flood of thoughts and memories pour into his own.
The truth unraveled before him in sharp, vivid images.
Another Archbishop, clad in black and gold, stood at the center of the Resistance Headquarters. Runes covered the walls of the hidden chamber, glowing ominously. The Archbishop was preparing a sequence of chained explosions that would annihilate everyone in the base.
Philemon's voice cut through the memory.
"This was all a distraction," he admitted, his tone dripping with malice. "You're here, fighting me, while your precious Resistance walks willingly into its doom. By the Dragon Emperor's will, we will purge this world of resistance—starting with your Headquarters."
Rey's breath hitched, his mind racing.
The plan was clear, and it was devastatingly effective.
The Resistance had poured all its forces into the Production Zone, leaving their Headquarters vulnerable. The explosion sequence would not only destroy the HQ but would also eliminate Angie—whom Rey was beginning to realize might not be the traitor after all.
"If Angy dies in the blast," Rey thought, piecing it together, "I lose my chance to confirm her innocence or guilt. It's almost too perfect... like someone set this up to frame her."
Seraph's name floated to the forefront of his mind. She was the one who told him Angie was the traitor, the one who claimed to read minds.
Rey clenched his jaw, anger bubbling within him.
"If she can read minds," he mused, "why didn't she tell me about this plan? Why didn't she detect another Archbishop's movements? Unless... she's lying."
But he couldn't act on his suspicions now—not yet. Seraph had to believe he still trusted her. If she could truly read minds, she'd see through any blatant deception.
Turning his attention back to Philemon, Rey pressed the Archbishop for more details, digging deeper with his spell. Philemon's memories revealed the location of the explosives, the Archbishop overseeing the operation, and the estimated time before the attack commenced.
Satisfied, Rey finally released his grip. Philemon collapsed to the floor, coughing weakly.
"You've served your purpose," Rey said coldly. With a quick motion, he summoned a blade of pure energy and drove it through Philemon's chest, ending the Archbishop's life in an instant.
As Philemon's body crumbled into ash, Rey stood in silence, his thoughts racing.
"Angy might not be the spy. Seraph might be playing me. And Zach... he's still the most obvious suspect. But there's no time to sort this out now."
He turned toward the exit, his resolve hardening.
"I need to get back to HQ—now."
The echoes of battle from outside the Production Zone grew faint as Rey activated Dimensional Rift, opening a portal to transport him directly to the Resistance Headquarters.
He stepped through, one thought consuming him:
"Whatever's waiting for me back there, I'll stop it. And I'll find out the truth."
~VWUUSH!~
The Resistance Headquarters shook violently as Rey emerged from the portal, the energy crackling around him dissipating like an ominous warning. The air was thick with tension, and the distant hum of destructive magic reverberated through the halls.
Rey sprinted through the corridors, his senses guiding him toward the core of the threat.
He burst into the chamber where the Archbishop was stationed, a man cloaked in gold and black with an aura of absolute malice. Runes etched into the walls glowed fiercely, their light flickering with the Archbishop's rising energy.
Instantly, Rey's eyes glinted with precision and he smiled to himself.
'Got you!'