CHAPTER 195: THE RIFT OPENS

"Thank you. Reks, you stay alive too!"

Aaron remembered that he had shared a bed with Reks more than once.

He was a kind and gentle man.

Aaron understood how painful it must be for Reks to leave him behind. Yet the decision to flee made Aaron strangely glad.

The light from the pattern kept growing stronger.

Now Aaron knew for certain—it was a colossal magic circle.

He glared at it and began weaving a barrier circle, the greatest one he could possibly form.

Even while he worked, the circle radiated a crushing pressure of raw magic, stronger and stronger with each moment.

Its depth was unfathomable.

How much larger could this thing grow?

Then Aaron realized something else.

Alongside the glowing circle, the black marks—those he once thought were only stains—were activating as spells.

Could it be that the stains themselves were the true trigger?

At that moment, words rose inside the light.

It was ancient letters.

"Sir Aaron, please read them! I will record!"

"Reks! You’re still here?"

Reks had opened paper and was already ready to write.

His preparation was flawless.

Aaron felt a rush of fondness.

What a good man.

"I’ll read. Write it down."

"Yes!"

’To the children of light, we grant protection. The evil power of Aeon shall be repelled and purified. The power of guardianship, eternal and unending...’

"What is this? The letters are overlapping. The black writing is covering the white writing, I can’t read it anymore."

As Aaron said that, the black letters covered the glowing ones. He began reading the darker words instead.

’Scatter the keys into the world and let long years pass. Now fulfillment comes. The time has arrived. Through the keys, the door to the demon world shall be opened.’

"What? What is this? A trap? Was it always a trap!?"

’In the world there exists power of shadow and light. Light is what the shadow hunts. Shadow is what hunts the light. Shadow is the primal mother, and is called Aeon. Aeon is the true—’

"It’s gone. The letters disappeared. I can’t read any more."

"Sir Aaron! Look!"

The blinding radiance suddenly vanished, and the circle’s spells floated up, glowing black and red. Whatever it was, it was about to begin.

"Reks, go! Take that record to Mr. Vundo!"

"Yes!"

Reks’s voice was wet with tears, but Aaron had no time to look back as he ran.

Aaron finished the weaving and released the barrier circle with his full strength.

It was immense, but against a magic circle this size, Aaron honestly didn’t know how long he could hold it back.

Still, he had to stand firm, even if it only bought a little more time.

...

The ground suddenly shook violently.

Shiao Yi felt a crushing pressure, something vast pressing down all around him.

"What is this!?"

Beside him, Dominic’ face turned pale.

He grabbed Shiao Yi’s arm hard.

The trembling of the earth did not stop—it only grew stronger and stronger.

"I can feel an enormous magic power. And it’s getting stronger by the moment. This is just like that time... it’s an ancient magic circle!"

The direction Dominic turned his face was the same direction where Aaron had run earlier.

What was he doing again?

Hadn’t he said something about gathering fragments and restoring them?

From the look on Dominic’ face, Shiao Yi knew he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Dominic! Gather all the magic stones! Every single one of them!"

"Understood!"

Together, the two of them hurriedly gathered the fifty magic stones that had just been completed.

"Dominic, let’s go!"

Shiao Yi grabbed his arm and shouted.

Dominic turned quickly to Mr. Vundo, who was staring at them in shock and spoke in a rush.

"Aaron may have triggered an ancient magic circle! Shiao Yi and I will go ahead first. Mr. Vundo, please send the strongest magicians and knights you can to the ruins of the old noble estate outside the city. Now, quickly!"

Without waiting for Mr. Vundo’s reply, Shiao Yi held Dominic tightly and teleported straight to Aaron’s location.

They appeared right beside Aaron.

But Shiao Yi and Dominic could not move for a moment.

The sight before them left them stunned in silence.

What they were witnessing was nothing compared to the first ancient magic circle that Roaille had once activated in Dalmasca.

This one was on an entirely different level of complexity and scale.

The circle that was now spreading out, glowing red and black like it was burning, was already no longer something that could be called a simple magic circle.

Even though it was only halfway activated, dozens upon dozens of intertwined formations overlapped one another, expanding outward without end.

The walls and ceiling of the mansion had been blown away, leaving only a few broken columns standing. And yet, thanks to Aaron’s barrier, the destructive force had been contained.

The spread was being held back and the damage was still limited.

The magic, unable to disperse sideways, surged upward instead, blasting into the sky like a massive pillar.

The release was not yet complete.

At the center, a dark fissure had opened, thin and jagged, from which monstrous beasts seeped out like ooze crawling from the abyss.

The creatures stumbled into the barrier, unable to pass, thrashing and clawing in vain.

Looking closer, Shiao Yi saw that the script—like one long continuous stroke of writing—had gaps here and there.

Parts of the fragments were missing.

That was why the activation was taking time.

An incomplete state—lucky for them.

If the circle had fully manifested at this scale, it might have brought the demon realm itself into the world above.

Beside him, Aaron’s breath was ragged.

Suddenly, his knees buckled.

He had poured all his strength into the barrier, and now his body could no longer endure.

The pressure swelling from within was too much—the barrier was straining, breaking.

"Dominic, with these magic stones we’ll shatter the circle’s barrier. If we act now, we still have a chance. But if it grows any stronger, no one will be able to stop it. Seal the eruption with magic discharge. I’ll use telekinesis to force the entire circle back!"