Double-cross

The fine rune shackles were the size of a strand of hair compared to the giant Mankestre snake. However, under the restraint of the glowing chains, the huge beast was helplessly locked to the ground, not even able to move.

With a thunderous howl, the few remaining creatures felt the danger that their alpha was in and rushed at Leylin and the rest with no thoughts for their own safety. Moreover, an additional contingent of mutated lizards started running into the chamber from the tunnel behind the group. It was their only escape route, and now they had nowhere to go.

"Lord Leylin, we'll take care of the reinforcements! You, Murphy, and Keith deal with the bigger monster!" -Yelled the Viscount, as he signaled to his aide with a nod.

"Of course." -That was all Leylin answered, as he took out a vial with a strange black liquid in it and passed the bottle to the redhead shopowner. He was the acolyte named Keith.

"Its eyes are their only visible weakness. Hurl this in front of it; let none of the substance touch its skin yet. May your aim be true, friend." -Leylin instructed, while at the same time chanting with his arms extended.

On the other side of the field, the grey-robed person lifted his cloak and revealed the appearance of a half-bear as he hurriedly chanted an incantation: "The strength of my forebearers, transform now into frigid ice, and grant us the might to slay these monsters!"

Panting with exhaustion, the half-beast man finished his spell and touched Jackson's sword. The lizards were almost upon them.

On the blade of Jackson's huge sword, a layer of frost began to quickly envelop it. The ice sheet grew more and more, before finally enlarging the blade to double its original size and turning it into an ice greatsword.

[That is a kind of rarely seen incantation used to magically enhance weapons. It is remarkably Mana Energy-cost efficient, unlike the method you used to imbue the Darkness element into your Knight Killing Move. At this moment, the greatsword in Jackson's hands already has the strength of a basic-level magic artifact.] -Told Aralis.

'Not that bad, actually. Save it into my memory when you decode it later. Might come in handy at some point.'

Jackson had obviously teamed up with the half-beast many times in the past. Once the greatsword had completed the layer of frost, Jackson growled and raised the weapon over his head, charging at the incoming waves of mutated lizards.

The sword, which seemed like a giant crystallized ice sculpture, directly chopped the heads off his enemies. Jackson was indeed massacring them with the combined prowess of magic and his Grand Knight strength, allowing the others to finish off the Mankestre.

One more acolyte perished trying to help Jackson, crying like a girl when a creature pierced his stomach with its talons. Only Murphy, Leylin, Keith, and the half-beast remained beside the Viscount.

Since Murphy was feeding all of his Mana Energy to the shackles, he was already pale and his back was curving downwards again. They had to finish this quickly.

Keith had already thrown the vial with black liquid near the snake, and as the floor became covered in the substance, the beast's movements started to become a lot more violent. It would break free soon enough.

Leylin's chanting of the mysterious and ancient Byron language resounded in the cave, as the liquid rose from the ground and a hoard of congealed and thick black oily bodies appeared beside it, completely surrounding it.

These black, oily figures circled around the snake, giving off bubbles from time to time and letting off a sound that was akin to decomposing material. While Leylin continued to chant, the black oiled figures continuously changed shape, finally merging into a black lion head-like apparition.

Leylin's black lion creation roared and immediately galloped towards the bony horns of the massive snake, which was still being restrained.

The lion immediately bit on both of the Mankestre's eyes. The huge snake writhed continuously, letting off an agonized screech. The rune shackles on its body were also emitting off red smoke.

"Hurry the fuck up and kill it already, will you!" -Murphy completely diverged from his calm scholarly image and wailed without care. The rune shackles around the snake let off creaking noises which meant that it could not endure much longer.

The black lion's head continuously chewed on the head of the monster until it dissolved. It turned into a puddle of greasy black oil that covered the head of the huge snake, and eventually both of its eyes.

"Now, attack it with all you've got and hold nothing back!" -Leylin eyes flashed and he withdrew another test tube.

The contents radiated a blood-red light, which exuded a pungent odor of brimstone. This was an explosive potion, but much more potent and with a larger blast radius compared to the previous potions he had used so far.

The muscles of Leylin's right arm bulged a little as he tossed the potion directly into the black oil. The redhead acolyte finished his incantation by the time the vial was midair, and the Secondary Fireball he shot hit the snake at the same time as Leylin's potion.

A tremendous crimson flame rose to the chamber's ceiling, utterly engulfing the huge Mankestre Snake, and burning it extensively.

Under the continuous struggles of the Mankestre, the rune shackles around it finally collapsed with a rattling sound. As for the price of being able to free itself, the snake had already suffered a dozen wounds that penetrated through its scales.

With this on top of the burns, the huge snake continuously coiled its head from side to side and then within its own body. It looked like a building had caught on fire and then crumbled.

The old man followed suit and dropped unconscious, as he had depleted the last drop of Mana Energy in his arcane core by deploying that magic artifact.

"We have already broken through most of the Mankestre Snake's defense! Time to finish it for good...! Unfortunately, I cannot be of any more use. I'm sorry, but I am out of Mana..." -Keith noted with a tinge of shame.

From his satchel, Leylin took one more of his modified explosive potions whilst nodding reassuringly at the redhead.

He launched it at the monster, although the resulting fire surge was smaller given that Keith had not participated this time.

Leylin huffed violently, and he looked like he was wiping the perspiration from his forehead. It was as if he had run out of Spiritual Force and Mana, as he staggered several steps behind. Keith assumed that he would join Murphy in the cold ground at any moment.

From an area of his sleeve which was concealed from others, another tiny potion appeared in Leylin's hand and he drank it in one gulp.

By now, streams of blood were steadily flowing down from the deep charred gashes on the neck of the Mankestre Snake. They seemed to be almost half a meter deep since one could even see the whites of its bones.

"Die once and for all, you cursed beast!" -The Viscount yelled, as out of nowhere, he rushed at the creature without a second thought. Apparently, he was done with the lizards.

Just as Viscount Jackson's enchanted sword was about to collide with the head of the huge snake, the frost spell vanished, and the metal of his blade was shattered into a million bits.

Angered and in fear for its life, the snake hissed deeply and headbutted the Grand Knight with all its strength.

Jackson was immediately knocked away 20 meters. Every piece of armor he was wearing, minus the breastplate that he discarded earlier, was dented inwards or simply fell off. His Secret Skill deactivated, and his body started convulsing both out of over-exertion and pain.

Leylin was observing leisurely while pretending to be regaining his breath, but on the inside, he wanted to laugh at Jackson's miserable effort.

As for the heavily injured Mankestre Snake, its bloodshot eyes had turned even more crimson. It managed to stand tall again, and it screeched to the top of its lungs.

With lightning speed, it slithered at the group and swiped its tail. Before Keith could react, he realized that there was one less person beside him. Jackson's aide who originally stood there was now wrapped up in the snake's tail.

The tail covered the entirety of the half-beast man, and he would be suffocated in seconds.

"Alright, that's enough. Leave him." -Suddenly, a voice echoed through the chamber, and the Mankestre promptly obeyed the command, letting the half-beast man on the floor. He was unharmed.

Leylin and the rest turned to look at the black-robed man who had now appeared to be on top of the Mankestre. His hood was down, and it revealed the acolyte with acne from the meeting at the Viscount's castle.

With his hand, he motioned for the snake to lower its head, and once it was close to the floor, he descended it as if he were riding a carriage. The Mankestre then slithered back and coiled around the big rock once again, as it hissed softly while its body regenerated.

According to Aralis' previous scan of this individual, he was a powerful level 3 acolyte close to his ascension to an official Magus, and he was also a Knight. Nevertheless, the loose clothes and the ugly face made it seem like he was just a scrawny nerd. But Leylin had seen right through him the moment he entered that living room.

"So you finally decided to show up." -Was all Leylin said, as his expression was instantly changed from the fatigued acolyte near his death to a calculating negotiator.

"Baron Leylin Farlier. I don't believe we have properly met." -The mysterious individual approached with pronounced gravitas and extended his hand, which was then stretched by Leylin's. "Allow me to correct that; my name is Alfonse Eidar. The half-bear who was almost crushed to death by my pet is named Halius, and you already know Keith... They work for me."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance. Now, pray tell, what is this all about?" -Leylin smiled warmly as if this conversation wasn't taking place in the middle of a battlefield riddled with corpses.

"I am sure you have many questions. However, I must ask you something first. Do you consider yourself as a loyal student to the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy?" -The tone in Alfonse's voice became extremely serious, and the implied threat it carried was not missed by anyone.

"Naturally, I am. That is why I'm here, after all." -Leylin replied nonchalantly as he kept smiling. He wasn't intimated in the slightest.

Alfonse chuckled, causing his lackeys to follow suit. Then Alfonse rose his hand and silenced them before continuing.

"That is a relief to hear. Honestly, I did not expect you to answer any differently. Now, in regard to your question... I can tell you this: we are working towards amassing such power and wealth, that it would drive any Magi Houses from the Poolfield Kingdom to lick the soles of our shoes. And I generously chose you to be our new partner." -Alfonse spoke with overflowing confidence, as he signaled for Halius to bring him something.

"Oh? And what type of partnership are we talking about?" -Leylin put a hand on his chin as if he were considering the idea.

"I see the glint of ambition and cunning in your eyes. They are the same as mine. Which is why I was ecstatic when I found out it was you who arrived in Extreme Night City to investigate the quest I secretly arranged by influencing that old sack of bones Murphy..." -Alfonse took the small brown box that was given to him by the half-beast with a smile.

He opened the box and then handed it to Leylin, waiting for his reaction.

"Ten high-grade magic crystals?! How did you even obtain this quantity?! I am told not everyone has one in his possession, let alone ten!" -Leylin played along, even though he himself had a dozen of them in his safe.

"Hahaha, indeed, good Leylin. Indeed... And these are merely your initial payment. They're yours. This kind of riches is what I am offering you, all in exchange for one simple favor." -Alfonse then got closer to Leylin and hugged him by the shoulder so that they would be side by side, before he explained further.

"I need you to return to Abyssal Bone Forest as soon as possible, and with a certain amount of funds I will provide you, buy all of the spell models and magic artifacts you can get your hands on... My associates will accompany you for protection, but they will have to wait outside the academy. Once you're done, you will deliver them the goods and they will pay you with another box filled with high-grade crystals."

Alfonse patted Leylin on the back and then turned around to watch his snake.

"I am definitely interested in your business proposition, but I have another question before you give me the details. Why go through all that trouble of the withering woods, and our fight against the Mankestre Snake?" -Leylin was almost drooling over the crystals, making the others want to laugh at his level of greed.

"Nothing for you to be concerned about. Worry not, you shall still receive the reward for the academy quest regardless of what happened here. I will personally make sure that no one finds out." -Alfonse told dismissively.

"Thank you..." -Leylin whispered, as an overbearing killing intent surged out of him, shocking Keith and Halius. They did not make a move since their boss hadn't either.

"What do you mean, Leylin?" -Alfonse decided to act cool, not really sure if what he felt was a product of his imagination.

"Since you are unwilling to talk so easily, that means I have a good excuse to play with you for a bit." -Leylin started to walk rapidly towards him with a blank expression, his hands curled into fists.

Without hesitation and leaning on his great casting speed, Alfonse blasted a large ice spell at him point-blank.

The attack hit squarely on Leylin's chest, and he was sent flying against the rocky walls of the chamber, creating a cloud of dust and pebbles.

"What the fuck was that, boss? Did he go crazy from the mana radiation and we hadn't noticed?" -Keith inquired, his face pale.

"I... I don't know... Maybe... But it doesn't matter. The operation will proceed as it has been for these last couple of months. We just need to find another idiot to infiltrate the academy." -Alfonse was trying to get over this immediately.

Unfortunately for him, this attempt to clear his mind would prove futile when a raucous laugh and sudden gargle noises caused him to doubt if he was under an illusion.

The laughter belonged to none other than Leylin, who had already slit Keith's throat with his golden cross blade while grinning like he had heard a good joke.

No one had seen him grab Keith. It was as if he had teleported at that precise moment.