At the sight of this, a Transcendent immediately shouted in terror,
"They stood back up?!"
Count Hahn's expression changed as well. As if realizing something, he raised his hand, and the dozens of falcons he had previously sent out circled back, launching another round of slaughter.
But this time, the falcons that had once sliced through the golden army like knives through butter didn't even make it halfway before shattering against the golden warriors' breastplates.
The Count frowned slightly, then waved his hand again. This time, instead of falcons, countless vines burst violently from underground, once more piercing and crushing the golden legion with ease.
The massive vines didn't stop after shredding the army. Instead, they grew taller and thicker, expanding wildly.
At the same time, as the vines tightened and grew, the scattered parts of the golden warriors were squeezed between them, unable to reassemble like before.
Even the few golden warriors that had reached the Transcendents were caught, lifted, and crushed into pieces.
The scene filled the Transcendents with joy.
This was the power of a Sequence 3. Crushing these metal monsters was effortless.
But before they could celebrate for long, terror struck again.
Scarlet steam and scorching heat began to erupt wildly from the scattered fragments trapped within the vines. Under such deadly heat, the massive vines rapidly withered.
This time, nothing could stop the warriors from reassembling.
Amid the burning, collapsing vines, one golden warrior after another rose again from the flames.
The heat was so intense that it burned the skin of many Transcendents, yet none of them reacted.
Not because of strong will, but because fear had made them ignore it entirely.
Count Hahn attempted to summon vines again, but this time, the overwhelming heat radiating from the golden legion hindered their growth. Even when forced into existence, they were instantly cut apart by nearby golden warriors.
The Count also noticed something else.
Every time these metal monsters fell, they quickly evolved resistance against the previous attack.
Unkillable, and rapidly adapting.
Was this the ability of the Sequence 2 Undying Dragon?
With that thought, Count Hahn muttered the designation of the Golden Legion,
"Sealed Artifact 1-047?"
He then turned to the others behind him and said,
"All of you, retreat immediately. Get to the surface. I'll handle this."
The other Transcendents, as if granted amnesty, quickly nodded and fled.
The golden legion did not pursue them. Instead, they remained where they stood, silently watching Count Hahn.
Only after everyone else had escaped did the Count roll his shoulders and step forward.
As he moved, the golden warriors adjusted the massive rune-inscribed greatswords on their arms, slowly parting to form a path.
Once he stepped deep into the underground hall, the legion closed in again, surrounding him at the center.
Standing within the encirclement, the Count glanced at the golden warriors, then lifted his gaze toward the central platform.
Was that the key to breaking this situation?
---
In the circular chamber carved above the underground hall, the elven master craftsman still knelt before the statue. The girl Windsor remained unconscious beside him.
The leader of the black-robed figures estimated the time, then brought his hands forward and began walking toward the elven master craftsman, Daedalus.
But before he could take more than a few steps, the craftsman suddenly stood up and looked at him with disdain.
"Such an obvious trick. Why would you think it could work on me?"
The black-robed leader removed his hood and sneered.
"You mean the strange but pleasant scent? If that's what you were guarding against, then I'm afraid you've already lost."
"What?!"
The elven craftsman's expression changed instantly. He tried to act, but the moment he raised his hand, he realized he could no longer move at all.
At the same time, the shadow behind him had somehow transformed into the shape of the black-robed leader.
Only after confirming complete control did the leader smile.
"You thought I was a Sequence 5 Perfumer, didn't you? How unfortunate. Those scents were nothing more than a deliberate misdirection."
"I even went out of my way to manipulate others through shadows, creating the illusion of them falling into perfume-induced madness and killing each other."
"As you can see, my true path is that of a Sequence 5 Shadow Mage."
As he spoke, he stepped closer, glancing at the elf's iconic long ears with mockery.
"If you had just thought a little more about why I always acted in places without visible shadows, you might have found it strange. After all, a Perfumer only needs their target to smell the fragrance."
"Elves really are textbook examples of arrogance. Once you think you've grasped the truth, you dismiss every detail."
The craftsman snarled angrily,
"You despicable bastard!"
The black-robed leader only grew more pleased, bowing slightly.
"An enemy's insults are the greatest praise. To be commended by a noble elven master craftsman, what an honor."
"But there's no need to be so angry. Your daughter has indeed recovered, and this city of defilers will indeed be destroyed. Your goals have already been achieved."
As if to prove his words, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled violently.
After the shaking, strange flowers began blooming across the surrounding walls.
A sign that high-sequence beings were about to clash.
Seeing this, the black-robed leader's smile widened.
"Looks like that Count has been pushed to the point where he can no longer hold back. How exciting."
"On one side, a powerful enemy that demands full strength. On the other, a restricted zone where he cannot reveal his abilities."
"If he doesn't go all out, those ancient constructs will break free, and he might even die."
"No matter what he chooses, it's the wrong answer."
His voice grew increasingly excited as he bowed toward the craftsman and the statue behind him.
"And no matter how this ends, the blame will fall on the elves."
"I was worried this might be dismissed as a simple containment breach, but with you and your king here…"
"The Emperor will truly reap the benefits without lifting a finger."
He straightened, then reached for the craftsman's throat.
He intended to kill him. The corpse and the statue would serve as perfect evidence.
But just as he was about to strike, he saw the mockery and disdain in the elf's eyes.
In the next instant, a massive rune-inscribed greatsword thrust out from behind and split the black-robed leader in half.