57 Chapter 57: Targeting the Summoner (1/2)

Gritting her teeth, Cecilia seemed to have come to a decision, and she began moving backward. Alicia and I had to run after the dueling pair in order to keep up and continue providing our support – not that any of our spells were having any real impact. Unfortunately, after unleashing Betelgeuse, the intensity of my assault had faltered greatly.

”Cecilia! Stop! You're getting too far away!” Alicia cried, but her friend completely ignored her warning.

Actually, Cecilia was no longer paying any attention to me and Alicia. She was concentrating solely on avoiding getting killed by Hades' relentless barrage of attacks. But even Cecilia was unable to keep up her impenetrable defense for long – the further she withdrew, the more ragged she seemed, and she finally seemed to slip and fall as Hades bore down on her. There was no way the giant warrior wouldn't recognize the opportunity, and he closed in on Cecilia's mistake, swinging his scythe with a triumphant bellow.

And then Cecilia was flung through the iron-wrought black gates of the cemetery where her mother had been buried.

With a bestial holler of victory, the berserk Hades jumped in after her, ready to finish Cecilia off once and for all.

I began to race desperately toward the graveyard.

”Richard, wait.”

To my surprise, Alicia had stopped moving. She stared in the direction of the cemetery thoughtfully, as if realizing something. She then shook her head and turned to me.

”Even if we chase after those two, there's nothing we can do to help Cecilia.”

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”Then what should we do?” I demanded.

Alicia turned to stare at Selina, who was still idly standing by the edge of the park opposite the graveyard.

”'…if we defeat the summoner, the summoned spirit will also be vanquished,'” she repeated what I had just said, as if something in my statement had occurred to her. I wasn't an idiot, and I immediately understood. ”In other words, if we can defeat that woman, then we shouldn't have to worry about that gigantic monster.”

”I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. I'm ready to summon one of my most powerful soul beasts anytime now.”

Cecilia had bought me enough time to finish the casting process for one of my Celestial Guardians, but I had held it back for now because I didn't want to get her caught up in the destruction. Once Cecilia was a safe distance away, I would summon Vermillion Phoenix or White Tiger and envelop the iron goliath in a gigantic spell of destruction.

The reason I hesitated was because I knew a contracted spirit wasn't going to be destroyed by a soul beast so easily…

”Use it against her if you have the chance,” Alicia suggested, pointing at Selina. By now, Selina had turned away, bored, and was strolling after her contracted spirit into the graveyard.

I frowned. I would rather keep my Celestial Guardians as a trump card against Hades, but I couldn't underestimate Selina either. Not that I wanted to hold back, but she gave me a strange feeling. I instinctively felt that if I revealed my hand too soon, Selina would devise a countermeasure in quick order and neutralize my most powerful soul beasts easily.

No, I could only summon them when her guard was down and I was confident of finishing her off in a single attack.

Alicia wasn't paying any attention to any of my doubts. She was already running after Selina. When she did so, I found that I was in a dilemma. Should I help Alicia in defeating Selina, or should I just summon my Celestial Guardians and assist Cecilia in destroying Hades?

The choice was clear. Even if we destroyed Hades somehow, Selina as a summoner would have more spells up her sleeve. She was the real danger here. Furthermore, during this whole time she had done absolutely nothing to assist her contracted spirit. In other words, I had no idea what sort of abilities or spells she possessed, and that lack of knowledge would prove fatal.

Alicia was the one in bigger danger, and we stood a higher chance of ending this whole farce by defeating Selina. The decision couldn't be any more straightforward.

I began sprinting in Alicia's direction.

While Selina strolled into the forest right next to the cemetery, Alicia pursued her relentlessly. For now, she was tracking her target stealthily, using the trees as cover. When Selina's back was turned on her, Alicia took aim with her guns and depressed the triggers.

Two violet beams of ferocious energy streaked forward, blasting toward Selina's head and heart, but before they could hit her, they dispersed harmlessly against a barrier.

”Ah, Alicia Violet, right?” Selina smiled as she slowly turned around, cocking her head. ”I've heard of you.”

”My, I'm honored.” Alicia emerged from the trees when she realized that Selina knew exactly where she was. She maintained her aim, both guns pointed at Selina. ”I didn't think you know me.”

Selina shrugged. ”I really don't, to be honest. The Violet family is way too insignificant for me to bother learning about them.”

Alicia narrowed her eyes at that, but she didn't rise to the bait. Instead, she calmly loosed a couple more shots, but they scattered ineffectually against a shimmering barrier that enveloped Selina.

”Did you come after me alone? That's not wise.” Selina smirked as she shook her head, brushing her gloved fingers along her long, dark hair. ”Or did you think I would be vulnerable without Hades to protect me?”

Alicia said nothing and merely fired off a couple more shots, which were displaced by Selina's barrier.

”How foolish…I was a summoner before I made a contract with Hades, you know?”

”!!!”