The security personnel surrounded in the corridor were unsure what to do.
Even though they had used a potent sleeping gas, the other party remained unaffected.
It was a scene beyond their comprehension.
Although Osian was fine due to the full-body armor and helmet, what about this little kid?
"Blue energy rising from the body...is this magic? Does that mean he's a wizard?"
Moreover, he wasn't just an average wizard. Looking at the hammer made of pure magical power alone, he easily smashed the sturdy interior walls like wooden planks.
Could this young child be such a skilled practitioner? It was hard to believe even after seeing it.
Regardless, they were surrounded and had to make a choice.
"We'll break through."
Since they were blocked front and back, they planned to breakthrough in one direction.They targeted the direction where Edgar was standing.
"These guys seem to be looking down on me."
Edgar frowned, feeling their intention was quite unpleasant.
He understood this was an ideal judgment for them.
They had already unloaded an entire magazine of bullets at Osian, who stood perfectly fine.
Conversely, even if he was a wizard, his appearance was just that of a small child.
Compared to the imposing full-armored knight, it was obvious who would be easier to handle.
Edgar was determined to correct that misconception.
"This is the result of your choice."
Edgar raised his right-hand hammer far back.
Except for a few restraining Osian, the rest aimed their guns at Edgar and pulled the trigger.
Hundreds of lead bullets targeted Edgar.
It was an action without hesitation, showing no mercy even to a child.
Just before Edgar was about to become a beehive, the blue magical power rising from his body spread like a heat haze, creating a blue barrier.
-Tudututudutung.
The mana barrier undulated like an elastic rubber. The shock energy in the bullets spread translucently across the barrier like waves before disappearing.
The security personnel became dumbfounded as the bullets, having lost their kinetic energy, fell to the floor. Of course, they were all wearing gas masks, so their expressions weren't visible.
Meanwhile, Edgar's arm, which had been drawn back, swung widely, along with the magical power hammer.
A blue hammer filled the corridor - no, it would be more accurate to say a blue wall was approaching.
They hurriedly brought out their support artifacts to create magical barriers, but it was useless.
Before Edgar's attack, their defensive magic capsules were nothing more than paper.
-Kwajijijik!
The defensive magic was easily pierced, and the security personnel were sent flying like bowling pins upon collision with the blue wall. The blue wall, pushing forward like crazy, swept away all the personnel and stopped right in front of Osian.
The blue wall returned to its original position as if reversing time, being sucked back into Edgar's body.
It was so incomprehensible, like a camel entering a needle's eye.
It was hard to understand how such a vast amount of magical power could be contained in that small body.
'I felt this even during our previous fight, but his skills are truly extraordinary.'
Osian looked down at the fallen security personnel before staring at Edgar.
Despite his young age, Edgar possessed a vast amount of mana. Given his intelligence, it was clear he was also highly knowledgeable in magical manipulation.
He could see enemies rushing from beyond the corridor.
Just as Osian was about to step forward and handle them, Edgar shook his head, stopping him, and instead extended his arm towards them.
"...! Raise shields!"
Sensing an unusual energy, the personnel raised their shields. They were sturdy shields that wouldn't be penetrated by bullets.
However, the magic Edgar used was incomparable to mere bullets.
The surging blue magical power gathered at his fingertips, transforming into a rock-like shape.
A magical rock spike with a sharp end left Edgar's hand and flew towards them.
-Thwang!
With a massive roar, the shield was crushed, and the people behind it fell, spraying blood.
Edgar's attack didn't stop there. Magical rock spikes were fired multiple times, turning the corridor into a rag before ceasing.
'He doesn't seem tired at all. What an enormous amount of magical power.'
The magic Edgar uses is from the [Pure Magical Power] series.
[Pure Magical Power] is magic that simply manifests the power of mana to create physical destructive force.
It's evaluated similarly to the Gaia school of earth manipulation in the [Attribute Element], but its actual versatility is even higher.
There are branches and schools within [Pure Magical Power].
The "David School", which prioritizes quick and simple destructive power in primitive rock forms.
The "Camelo School", which creates and uses various versatile tools like ropes, restraints, and staffs.
The "Soning School", which creates weapons like swords, spears, and hammers for close combat.
And Edgar knew how to use magic from all three schools.
The rock magical projectile he just fired was from the David School, the magical barrier he just deployed was from the Camelo School, and the hammer he first swung was from the Soning School.
While Osian hadn't met many other wizards, he could tell from this alone that Edgar's talent in the pure magical power series was top-tier.
"Cleanup is done."
When Edgar said this, Lorraine and Lucent emerged from the area filled with thick anesthetic gas. Both were wearing gas masks, with Lorraine having put an extra one on Lucent.
"Wow. You really did a flashy job."
Lorraine stuck out her tongue looking at the battle marks etched in the corridor.
"It's too early to be impressed. This is just the beginning."
Since the first attack failed, they would likely send more troops.
Even now, Saint Tree's personnel were real-time converging on the research building.
Among them would be official security companies, but also those separately hired by the board of directors.
It was a disadvantageous situation of essentially fighting in the enemy's headquarters.
However, Osian, Edgar, and Lorraine were surprisingly calm.
Lucent, who had heard about this beforehand, understood the reason.
'They started the operation faster than the board expected. Despite needing to be mindful of external views, they forcefully proceeded, which means they're that desperate.'
Now that they've started, they'll go all out to win.
They must have calculated it was possible, but an unintended incident couldn't be denied.
Yes. Saint Tree had just lit the fuse on a bomb necklace.
They didn't have much time. Within that time, they needed to suppress this side and extract information from Lucent to sell to the outside.
This was why the Violet Fox members were so calm.
They just needed to buy time.
"The fact that they built the research building so that people can't escape will be their downfall."
Lorraine tapped the outer wall with the back of her hand. It was clearly not made of ordinary material and would serve as an excellent barrier.
Moreover, because the corridor was long and straight, even if a fight broke out inside, they wouldn't be completely surrounded.
If they decided to fortify the corridor, it would be quite challenging for Saint Tree.
"The problem is that just because it's easy to hold out doesn't mean we can hold out for long."
They didn't know what extreme methods they might employ if things went wrong.
And the presence of foreign corporate personnel currently waiting at headquarters was also at stake.
Lorraine's concerns were cut short.
Beyond the corridor, heavily armed troops were rushing in.
The smell of bullets. And their sounds.
Lorraine took out the sniper rifle she had prepared. It wasn't her usual one, but a special large-caliber rifle gifted by Osian.
A firearm imbued with the holy law used by modern holy knights.
"My pretty one, I finally get to shoot you."
Lorraine smiled wickedly and faced forward.
The approaching enemies immediately launched suppressive fire.
-Tyang! Tyang!
Bullets flew, hitting walls and ceilings. But Lorraine maintained her athletic shooting stance while standing still.
She didn't move an inch, not out of fearlessness, but with the certainty that these bullets would never hit her.
Even if a stray bullet were to fly at Lorraine, she had two reliable colleagues beside her.
"My stock's revenge!"
With a personal grievance-filled cry, a shot was fired.
Due to the use of a large-caliber special bullet, the muzzle jumped high despite firing just one shot.
While repositioning the muzzle, their counterattack would come, but there was no need to worry now.
The long golden bullet had penetrated the tiny gaps between their shields.
"Huh?"
At the moment of their confusion, the bullet burrowed to their center and triggered a massive explosion by releasing its internal energy.
-Kwaaang!
A dazzling golden light erupted. The golden waves instantly neutralized the heavily armed security personnel, engulfing the entire corridor.
The shockwave spread, even engulfing Osian's group in the distance.
Though it was a large-caliber sniper rifle, its result was equivalent to a cannon.
An entire unit was wiped out with a single strike.
"Wow. The effect is even more amazing than I thought."
Though she had consistently maintained it as a gift from Osian, this was her first time using it in actual combat.
A special modified weapon used by high-ranking holy knights.
Its power was so remarkable that Lorraine felt almost reluctant to use the few remaining bullets.
But she soon shook her head.
No. Don't be too regretful. Compared to the money I've lost, this anger will only be soothed by using all the magazines.
Of course, they didn't directly contribute to Lorraine's stock crash, but what could she do?
'They're working for money, so it's essentially the same as stealing my money!'
Lorraine justified her anger with an absurd miraculous logic.
As Lorraine ejected the cartridge with a click and reloaded the special bullet, something happened.
Osian, who had been quietly watching, stepped forward to protect Lorraine.
Lorraine and Edgar didn't ask the typical question of why he was stepping forward.
They had realized through living together that Osian always had his reasons.
Soon, the ground below suddenly erupted, and someone slowly rose from the collapsed floor.
"A mutant."
Floating in mid-air with a unique gleam in his eyes was a man with an arrogant expression.
Osian immediately recognized that he was a mutant and of a high-ranking level.
That's why Osian stepped forward. Because Lorraine would not have a good matchup against him.
-Chang!
Drawing his sword, he charged towards the airborne figure. Thinking that he would cut down everything, abilities and all.
But it seemed the other party had the same idea.
The red-energy-filled straight sword blocked Osian's swinging blade.
"Oh."
Osian's eyes gleamed from inside his helmet.
In the opponent's hand was an energy-formed sword.
Red electricity crackled over the red straight sword.
"Are you the fixer?"
"Do you know me?"
"I remember you interfering with us."
"Seems you were from Supremacy."
Moreover, the opponent seemed to have a personal grudge against Osian.
"Holding onto a professional mistake?"
"Because a lowly old human species daringly raised a flag against us."
"A supremacist, I see."
As Osian tried to push him back with force, the mutant's entire body was covered in red armor.
An armor implemented with energy.
'An ability to manipulate energy?'
While wrestling with the sword and still being pushed back, the real-time reactive force suggested an ability closer to a visible force field.
An energy exoskeleton and energy weapon. A mutant who freely manipulates them.
Wearing armor was likely his usual fighting style, but it also felt like a provocation towards Osian.
If so, he would gladly accept that provocation.