Chapter 1252
Constantine's lips curled into a cold, sardonic smile as he watched Leon, still methodically inscribing runes as if chaos were a distant rumor.
Suddenly, the detection runes drifting in the sky were temporarily shielded by Leon, who then used them to begin unlocking the final, tightly shut door at the far end.
As Leon continued to inscribe runes, magical fluctuations shimmered across the door, which looked forged from blue iron. A faint glow enveloped it, as if a portal of light had opened—though in truth, the real passage would take time. For now, the door was merely revealed, a promise of escape mocking those desperate enough to believe.
But Constantine's expression flickered. Seeing the portal's glow, he assumed the final passage was open, while Leon kept inscribing his floating magical runes—calm, detached, infuriatingly precise.
There must be a plot—of course. The door is open, yet he won't let us act. Marianne's battle aura is nearly spent; if this keeps up, those damned Alchemical Golems will finish her off. Some leader.
If this goes on, Marianne's dead for sure.
The door's open, so what's this Merlin up to? A plot, obviously. He's got to be the guardian here—a special Alchemical Golem, laying the groundwork for something even nastier.
Can't wait any longer—we have to get out, now...
The more Constantine thought about it, the surer he became. Since meeting Leon, the man hadn't cast a single spell; aside from his alchemical prowess, he'd never used magic in the trial grounds—not even a shield. Suspicious, or just suicidal?
A mage who dares to approach a dangerous Alchemical Golem without activating a shield, and even makes physical contact—what a joke! No such mage exists, not unless he's looking for a quick death.
Constantine ignored Leon and instead fixed his gaze on Marianne, battling on the field, and the portal at the far end—hope and doom, side by side.
Just as Marianne broke free from the encirclement of three Twinblade Alchemical Golems, Constantine erupted with Undying Aura, gripped his narrow sword, and charged—reckless, desperate, heroic or foolish.
"Marianne, move! The portal's open—once we're through, we're safe!"
Constantine erupted with gray Undying Aura, his narrow sword flashing in rapid arcs. Over a dozen gray slashes struck the Twinblade Alchemical Golems, and he seized Marianne's hand, dragging her toward the portal like salvation was just a sprint away.
As Constantine unleashed his power, the detection runes that had been temporarily shielded began to tremble, and the floating magical runes in midair shattered one after another—fragile hopes, broken by brute force.
In less than a second, several new detection runes flickered into existence overhead. But even a handful was enough to gauge the sheer force of Constantine's outburst.
In an instant, light flashed—two more Twinblade Alchemical Golems and two Spellcasting Alchemical Golems materialized on the plaza, summoned like bad omens.
Five Twinblade Alchemical Golems gave chase, relentless, while three Spellcasting Alchemical Golems unleashed beams of flame and radiant energy—overkill, but in this place, mercy was a myth.
"Damn it, Constantine! What the hell are you doing? Who asked you to butt in? I can handle my own fight—those stupid hunks of iron, I’ll smash them myself!" Marianne snarled, pride and fury in every word.