ALL NOVEL chapter 48
48. A Secret Meeting
The conversation dragged on, and we welcomed Gora and Kelt, who had joined us midway, to reach a conclusion.
“We will create a diversion near the main temple and, with a select few elite members, reclaim the Elg.”
It was a simple plan, but one that would likely have the highest chance of success.
The members responsible for the diversion would be the Resistance led by Wide and Ayla.
The Elg retrieval team consisted of powerful individuals: Gildia, Kelt, Rainer, and Gora.
However, we remained cautious of the possibility that some organization might be aware of our actions, and we decided to execute the plan the day after tomorrow.
In the meantime, Gora accompanied Kelt back to the workshop to modify existing magical tools.
Ayla and Wide would coordinate the movements of the Resistance on the day of the operation.
Gildia was devising countermeasures against the aforementioned priest.
And Rainer was…
◇◇◇
In a deserted back alley,
Rainer approached a robed man,
speaking in a friendly manner as he clapped him on the shoulder.
“Hey! Atsuku, how have you been?”
The man standing there was not the priest Atsuku, but rather a base man named Atsuku, seeking to elevate his status through various nefarious deeds.
“Rainer… you touch me so casually…
More importantly, I have something I want to ask you.”
With a domineering attitude, Atsuku confronted him.
Rainer made a blatant face of disdain, saying, “You seem so bored.”
“It seems you’re sneaking around behind the scenes, investigating matters concerning the Saintess.”
Though Rainer felt the sting of the accusation, he responded as usual, appearing unfazed.
“Oh, is that so? What of it?”
“What’s it to you? You must have noticed something, which is why you’re probing, right? The Saintess is insane! Severely so! Despite her position, she intends to throw away everything to pursue something!”
Atsuku spat out, his face flushed with anger.
“Well, I certainly didn’t know that.”
Despite Rainer’s feigned ignorance, Atsuku grew frustrated and began to lose interest, preparing to leave.
—
“Ah—more importantly, it’s you, isn’t it? You sent that woman after me.”
At those words, Atsuku comes to a sudden stop.
“What are you talking about? Stop trying to ensnare people without any evidence.”
Atsuku insists he knows nothing and tries to leave, but—
“Oh, so it was you after all.”
Rainer transforms his legs into lightning and prepares to strike at high speed, but—
“Tch! This is such a hassle! You b*stard!”
Zhuuu
His body glows red like heated iron, radiating intense heat.
As a result, the floor and walls begin to catch fire.
“Just like you, after all.”
Rainer kicks off the wall in a split second to dodge, but he can no longer close the distance.
“You b*stard, it was a mistake to entrust any work to you in the first place.”
Atsuku tries to advance, but—
“Still, I did manage to take care of it, didn’t I? Well then! See you later!”
Rainer vanishes in a flash of light.
“You b*stard! Shut up!”
The man, angered by Rainer’s flippant remarks, becomes even hotter, and the floor beneath him begins to melt from direct contact.
“Whoa!? Someone’s on fire!?”
A thug passing by happens to see the blazing Atsuku and starts to make a commotion.
“You b*stard! I really have the worst luck!!”
With his robust physique and heat, Atsuku digs a hole in the wall with his fingers and climbs up to the roof.
And just like that, he disappears into the darkness.
This incident became known as the Lava Man (Magman) lurking in the Holy City,
one of the Seven Wonders of the Holy City.