Chapter 245

A thick black mist filled the surrounding area. Lockhart frowned slightly, controlling the blue fire beside him to engulf it.

Soon, all the black mist surrounding Lockhart and Kaecilius dissipated completely.

With a thought, Lockhart expanded the blue fire, spreading it across the floor. Before long, it burned, incinerating all the remaining black mist.

"Damn it, Lawrence ran away again," Kaecilius sighed, eyeing the hole in the far wall, eroded by dark energy.

"It's okay, Kaecilius. Now that we've tracked him, he won't be able to escape next time," Lockhart reassured him.

The corner of Lockhart's mouth curled up as he recalled the positioning device, no larger than a sesame seed, that Tony had gifted him. The Hand was his target, but now that Lawrence, a dark believer, was involved, there might be unexpected gains.

Kaecilius, hearing Lockhart's reassurance, felt some of his tension ease. Still, he stared off into the distance, lost in thought.

Boom!

Kaecilius tapped his stick on the ground, magic flowing through it, and red flame lines appeared along its surface. A ripple of red flame spread outward, quickly dissolving the spatial restrictions left by Lawrence.

Not long after, multiple rings of red flame appeared, and several New York Temple Sorcerers materialized.

"Master Jonas, please gather any remaining traces of Lawrence's aura. See if you can track him down," Kaecilius instructed.

"On it. I hope we can catch this bastard," Jonas muttered bitterly. His friend had been sacrificed by Lawrence, and if not for his quick thinking, he too would have met the same fate.

Jonas retrieved a reddish-brown disk, walking carefully around the area to collect the residual energy. After gathering the traces, he traced a finger over the disk, causing a complex rune pattern to emerge.

Lockhart noticed the runes constantly shifting, seemingly unable to lock onto a direction.

"Damn it! This bastard set up decoy auras in multiple places to confuse our detection," Jonas grumbled.

Kaecilius sighed at the setback, a tinge of regret in his voice. He had followed Lockhart's suggestion and refrained from bringing more Sorcerers for the ambush. Next time, he wouldn't hesitate—even if it risked exposure or collateral damage. He could make amends later.

After chatting briefly, Kaecilius and Lockhart prepared to part ways.

Lawrence, aside from his formidable strength, had an uncanny ability to preach and persuade. His words had a way of spreading like a virus—ignore him at your own risk, or suffer greater consequences later.

Hell's Kitchen, a run-down factory.

Black mist descended from the sky, falling to the ground and dissipating, revealing the figures of two men and one woman.

They quickly separated.

"Lawrence, what is Kamar-Taj? What have you gotten us into?" Alexandra demanded, retreating with the Black Sky.

Lawrence, still reeling from the earlier battle, glanced at the Black Sky with a hint of fear. After a moment, he spoke, his voice taunting: "I got unlucky this time. I didn't expect someone from Kamar-Taj to be after your Hand. If I were you, I'd leave New York while you still can. Otherwise, your lives are in serious danger."

Alexandra frowned, noting that Lawrence's aura had thinned considerably.

With a quick motion, she tapped Elektra on the shoulder and whispered, "Black Sky, capture him. Don't let him escape."

She stepped back, wanting to see how tough Lawrence really was after the beating he'd just taken.

Boom!

At her command, Elektra drew the sai from her waist and pointed them at Lawrence. A wave of intimidating energy surged toward him as a large amount of black mist formed behind Elektra, coalescing into the shape of a black panther.

The panther's eyes locked onto Lawrence.

The sai in Elektra's hands glowed with dark energy.

"Alexandra, I thought we were friends," Lawrence raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I warned you out of genuine concern. I've fought Kamar-Taj's Sorcerers many times. I know how they operate."

Lawrence was in no condition to fight. He had barely survived the sneak attack from Lockhart. If this fight continued, it would likely end with both sides badly injured, and his best option would be to flee.

"Black Sky!" Alexandra halted Elektra's advance and fixed Lawrence with a cold stare. She wanted to see what he would say next.

"Kamar-Taj's Sorcerers are just like me," Lawrence began, his voice smooth and persuasive. "They believe in gods too—only they follow the Vishanti, while I serve Dormammu."

Alexandra's lips curled into a sneer, but she allowed him to continue.

"For Kamar-Taj, anyone using the power of dark gods, like you or me, is an ideal sacrifice."

"Every time they offer someone like us to the Vishanti, they gain more power and favor from their gods," Lawrence continued. "That's exactly what Dormammu offers as well."

"So, once they've tracked down your Hand, my sincere advice is to lie low for a while. This is their home turf, New York is full of powerful Sorcerers who manipulate space and wield advanced magic. Their strength is not to be underestimated."

Alexandra listened, her face a mask of uncertainty.

Leaving New York was out of the question. The skeleton was here—how could they abandon it?

Yet, Lawrence's warning about Kamar-Taj echoed in her mind. If a few more Sorcerers like Lockhart showed up, they wouldn't stand a chance.

Her thoughts raced, but before she could respond, Lawrence added, "Alexandra, I know what your Hand is after. You're concerned about the dragon bone, right?"

He paused for dramatic effect.

"There's a powerful seal on it, but with my Lord's power, I can help you break that seal—for free."

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