"What the hell are they doing?"

Raven, trapped inside a golem, furrowed his brow.

The duo that had been relentlessly attacking him suddenly started acting strangely.

"It's better for me if it goes like this."

Although only his head remained, Raven could survive by dragging out time.

The reason Raven could stay alive was thanks to the magical engineering device embedded in his head.

This tool compensated for all the bodily functions.

His research, buried in a remote area, focused on the human body.

Aryandor's ability to perform almost as well as before, despite losing his leg, was a result of Raven's studies.

Moreover, Raven didn't just study the human body; he researched the bodies of all living beings.

He sought ways to enhance the corpses used in necromancy and created magical engineering products for this purpose.

Such ongoing research allowed Raven to survive, even as just a head.

"When they're tired, I'll escape immediately."

Raven's goal wasn't to kill those two; it was his own survival.

Even without a body, he could live.

Just as Aryandor's prosthetic was made through magical engineering, so could a body be made, and as long as the mana stone in the life-extension device embedded in his head was replaced regularly, he could continue to live.

"If I survive, I'll have to go into hiding for a while."

He couldn't reveal himself until the rebels were gone.

Raven possessed a lot of confidential information about the rebels.

The research he conducted was the very purpose of Aryandor.

If exposed, it would be clear what needed to be done to stop the rebels.

If Raven survived here, he would undoubtedly become the rebels' primary target.

That didn't mean he intended to side with the Empire.

He couldn't be sure that joining the Empire would ensure his safety.

It would be a stroke of luck if he asked them for help and wasn't tortured.

So, for Raven, fleeing and living quietly was the best option.

As he planned his escape, Raven looked towards the capital of the Empire.

"Aryandor..."

It was a hopeful thought.

Even if he had decided to betray him, he wondered if Aryandor might come to rescue him.

But there was no sign of Aryandor coming.

The man who had reached out to a despised magical engineer from the Empire.

Raven shook his head.

That was all in the past.

Aryandor had abandoned him, and he needed to focus on the present.

Raven looked at Rudy and Ian in front of him.

"Hmm?"

The two of them were acting strangely.

Ian approached the golem, and Rudy stepped back.

"What are they trying to do?"

The physical capabilities of Ian and Rudy were vastly different.

Ian had never been on the front lines, whereas Rudy had magic optimized for combat on the front lines.

For the two of them to switch places was practically insane.

"Time to get ready."

The two were plotting something.

Raven intended to exploit such a situation.

Ian stood still, looking up at the golem.

"I can't dodge every attack with my abilities."

Ian couldn't move like Rudy did.

Even with physical enhancement, he couldn't freely control his enhanced body.

But he still had to do what needed to be done.

Even if he was attacked, even if the opponent tried to block him, he had to fulfill the promise.

"Phew..."

Ian took a deep breath and opened his eyes wide.

"Here I go."

Ian manipulated his mana.

His body disappeared in an instant.

Space warped in front of the golem, and Ian appeared.

Spatial teleportation.

He had moved through space to reach the front of the golem instantly.

The golem, anticipating this, immediately swung its fist.

"Disassemble."

Ian extended his hand towards the incoming fist.

As Ian's hand touched the golem's fist, it exploded with a 'bang!' and disintegrated.

Seeing the golem's fist disappear, Ian turned his head and used another spell.

"Move."

Ian's body, which was falling, was teleported back in front of the golem.

"A little more to the right!"

Rudy shouted at Ian.

"I know."

The place Rudy mentioned was the golem's right side.

Ian was currently in front of the golem's solar plexus.

He needed to move a bit more.

"Control."

Ian touched the golem's hand and used his magic.

Zap...

Then, the earth that made up the golem's body moved, and a platform was created for Ian to stand on.

He controlled the opponent's magic as if it were his own.

Ian continued to create platforms he could advance on.

From the golem's solar plexus to its right side.

Ian immediately ran across the platforms he created.

"Rudy Astria!"

Ian shouted as he ran.

"I know."

Rudy pulled his fist back.

Ian clenched his teeth and tried to reach the part Rudy had mentioned.

Crack.

However, it wasn't easy.

The golem's body wobbled, and spikes protruded from that part.

It had transformed its body to create spikes.

"Cough..."

Ian couldn't react.

No, he saw it happening but couldn't move his body.

The spike pierced Ian's abdomen.

"F*ck..."

A curse flew out of Ian's mouth, who usually spoke like a noble.

Pain emanated from his abdomen.

Ian touched the spike.

"Disassemble..."

Then, the spike made of sand disintegrated and fell to the ground.

With the embedded spike gone, Ian moved his legs again.

There was no time to cry out in pain.

The golem didn't stop there.

It continued to produce spikes on Ian's path, trying to block his way.

Ian twisted his body as much as he could to dodge the spikes, but he couldn't avoid them all.

Many thoughts ran through Ian's head.

Did he need to move foward in this condition?

Perhaps it would be a better judgment to retreat and regroup.

Ian clenched his fist.

He cast aside such thoughts.

Wasn't this what he intended to do?

Wasn't this much anticipated?

Ian moved forward.

He advanced despite the thorns scratching his body and the sand blocking his path.

Using spatial magic and control magic, he cleared the way ahead.

"Rudy Astria!"

Ian shouted.

Hearing his voice, Rudy immediately took action.

He kicked off the ground and propelled his body into the air.

"Disassemble!"

At the same time, Ian, having teleported to the promised spot, used his magic.

Zap... Zzzzzzap!

The sparks flying around were all dissipated.

The thick sand that was covering the surface and blocking the inside was cleared away.

It all turned to dust and disappeared.

As it cleared, the sight of Raven, with only his head remaining, was revealed.

"Found you."

With a murmur, Rudy gathered mana in his fist.

"Ugh..."

Raven, seeing Rudy in front of him, gritted his teeth.

He tried to use magic to repair the golem's abdomen.

But the sand didn't move.

Ian, in front of the golem's abdomen, was controlling the golem's body, preventing Raven from manipulating the sand.

"Eradicate it."

"Shh!"

At Ian's command, Rudy swung his fist.

Mana burst from his fist.

It was different from the air pressure before.

The mana didn't disperse around but focused on one point.

Like a flash.

Like a thin spear.

It shot forward.

"Ah..."

Boom!

The shot mana pierced through Raven.

Not just Raven, but it also pierced through the back of the giant golem.

Raven, with his head pierced through, looked into the distance with a blurry vision.

"Aryandor..."

Until he lost consciousness, Raven gazed at that distant scene.

But Aryandor did not come.

"Ugh... Walk carefully."

"My condition is a mess, how can I consider yours too."

"You're in bad shape, but at least your mouth is alive."

"That's the same for you, isn't it?" Rudy was supporting the injured Ian as they walked.

The ground was covered with the remains of the golem that had been defeated, scattering the dirt.

After defeating Raven, the golem had completely collapsed, and its dirt had spread around.

At their feet lay Raven's head, barely recognizable in form.

"Is he dead?"

"We'll have to check to know for sure."

Rudy, supporting Ian, sat him down on the ground and approached Raven's head.

As expected, there was a tool embedded with a mana stone in his head.

"Hmm... Seeing that the tool isn't broken, he might still be alive."

His head was clearly pierced through.

So, it was hard to call it a head anymore, but the magical device was still intact.

Not knowing Raven's abilities precisely, it was hard to tell if this meant death.

"Do we take him with us like this?"

"No, it's unlikely he'll cooperate anyway, so just detach the device from his head and take that."

"Understood."

With that, Rudy wrapped up the task.

Ian managed his wounds and sat in the carriage.

Rudy, seeing Ian aboard the carriage, knocked from outside.

"What is it?"

"I'll be returning to the capital first."

"You're not asking for my opinion this time?"

Rudy shrugged at Ian's comment.

"Now that everything is finished, why bother asking for opinions?"

"All operations conclude only when we reach the final step of the plan."

"You're quite strict. So, are you not going back?"

Ian lifted the corners of his mouth.

"I'll go slowly, you go ahead."

"…Understood."

Rudy frowned as if wondering why he even asked in the first place.

Simultaneously, Rudy began to manipulate his mana.

"Then, I'll head back first. See you in the capital."

"Alright."

Rudy used his mana to travel to the capital, and Ian told the soldiers outside the carriage.

"We're also heading back."

"Understood!"

Ian started moving towards the capital with a satisfied smile.