Parallel Vol. 5

Chapter 49: 60 Seconds!

A/N: If you want a taste of my headspace while writing this chapter, play the Youtube Video above, or find its Spotify equivalent if you're on mobile.

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60 Seconds Left.

"Kira!"

Without needing clarification, Kira ignored her pain, and restarted the Twilight Wolves' neural network. Suzuki and Kashi's instinctive directions poured into every Maggots' mind at the speed of light, prompting them all to spring into immediate action.

"Strike Team! Get in position!" Even as Stryke shouted, he and Hogosha had already begun manipulating the earth. Gugugugu! Clumps of soil rolled around towards the Wolves who had gathered in three distinct groups.

The first group, made up of Suzuki, Leila, and Larsial, held their breaths as the rocks rose from the earth and then encased them. The second group comprised of Shokō, Hektor, and Zuri stuck close to each other as they too were swallowed up by the rocks.

The third group, comprised of Absalon, Kashi, Jade, Syèl, Stryke and Hogosha, stood between the rock formations, which on close inspection clearly resembled a bullet. The group wore grim expressions as they set about fulfilling the next set of tasks. They knew that they could not afford any delay or they would perish on the spot.

As if to prompt their fear, a bright sun suddenly appeared directly above Oni Hill. Only, this was no celestial body, but rather light generated by the searing heat emanating from the rapidly falling Razznik.

The anxiety was enough to shatter anyone's heart, but... Twang! A confident guitar cried out, its defiant notes dispelling any doubts in the Wolves' hearts. That's right. They would finish this! No one could halt this wolfpack's hunt—not even Razznik.

"Hehe, thanks, Lune!" Syèl laughed as he glanced at Lunette who stood aways with a guitar in hand. The songstress, who had been joined by rest of the orchestra laughed and then launched into a new song inspired by desire, defiance and excitement in the face of danger!

Buoyed by the exhilarating notes, Syèl's blood danced with delight. The vampire smiled and then sent a line of blood to each stone sculpture. Once he connected, Syèl rapidly chanted a rather complicated spell. Under the spell, the connected blood evaporated into a red mist, before condensing into large mandalas on each stone.

Then, before many stunned gazes, the mandalas glowed bright as they activated. The bullet-shaped stone rapidly condensed under the mandalas, becoming smoother and losing their jagged edges, before ultimately adopting a dark metallic sheen.

That was right. Syèl had just performed Transmutation! The vampire unbelievably learned it from watching Razznik use it to escape. He only had to register the performed magic once before memorizing it for life. This was another example of Syèl's raw intelligence in play! It was no exaggeration to claim that Syèl might be the most intelligent being in the world – the ways he could change the world if he ever focused his attention that way.

Unfortunately for the world, but perhaps fortunately for the Wolves, Syèl was content to 'waste' his talents deciphering a Chaos God's spell in a virtual-reality game.

Once Syèl finished transmuting both bullet shells, Hogosha and Stryke controlled the earth once again, this time raising two sets of horizontal, parallel pillars on either side of the 'bullets.' Both tora and tiger coughed up blood as they overdrafted their mana reserves to forcefully raise these pillars as high as they could. Stryke, eyes leaked blood as he observed the gargantuan structures. "Did we make it?"

"No." Syèl replied with grim eyes. "We still need another fifty meters!"

"Damn it!" Stryke cursed as he took out a mana potion. His expression was grim as he rapidly chucked down the terrible-tasting liquid. They were racing against time here! Every second counted. They could not afford to wait for the slow-acting potions to replenish his reserves!