MTLNOVEL Chapter 80: Waiting
Taylor gritted his teeth, his voice tight with frustration. "You said he was the best."
The man kneeling before him bowed even lower. "He was, my Lord. But Lady Rinne is surrounded by beings who can trace mana and have the sharpest senses in existence. Only elves could have tracked him… and they did."
*Crack*
The word floor splintered beneath Taylor's feet.
With his fists clenched, he loomed over the spy. "So what do you suggest now? Should I just abandon the plan?!" His voice was low, dangerous. "Hades might be a knuckle-headed fool, but he's not blind. He knows exactly who's after him."
If the King truly wanted Hades captured, he would have sent an entire battalion into Elven territory. That left only two suspects—Taylor himself, or the headmaster. They were the only ones who knew where Hades was going.
A tense silence hung in the air before the spy finally spoke. "My lord… Hades has entered the ancient temple of Samaran. There's no chance he'll return alive."
Taylor's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile—more a baring of teeth.
"He's Hades. He always comes back. Like the damned protagonist of a story that refuses to end. We can't take that chance."
The spy said nothing. There was no point in doubting his master's words.
Taylor clasped his hands behind his back, pacing slowly.
After a moment, he asked, "The summit's in ten days, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir," the spy replied.
A grin spread across Taylor's face, this one cold and deliberate. "Good. Spread the word that Hades has formed a close alliance with the elves."
The spy stayed quiet, listening as Taylor continued, "We're going all out this time. We might lose some of our core members, but with this… Hades will be finished."
The King might have been generous enough to spare Hades even after he killed his son—but no ruler would forgive a terrorist.
'Live your last week in peace, my dear friend,' Taylor thought darkly. 'This time… there will be no escape.'
….
[The golem's presence rivals a Duke-ranked. Be wary.]
Hades drew in a steady breath, his gaze locked on the towering construct.
It stood like a silent sentinel before the gate—unyielding, immovable. If there was a guardian posted here, it meant they were on the right path.
"Back me up when I say so," Hades muttered, rolling his shoulders as he clenched his fists.
He rarely relied on weapons. And from the way the golem squared its stance, it seemed ready for a straight fight as well.
Beatrice took a few steps back, magic circulating around her.
A moment of silence, then—
*Swiss*
The golem moved first.
A heavy step, a blur of motion for something its size—its fist came down like a falling boulder.
Hades slid to the side, his boots skimming the cracked stone, and drove a quick punch into the golem's ribs. The blow landed with a dull thud, barely denting the rock-like surface.
The golem didn't even flinch. Its other arm swept in a wide arc, forcing Hades to duck low. The wind from the swing grazed his hair, close enough to take his head off.
Hades darted forward, his fists a flurry—striking joints, weak spots, anywhere stone met faint lines of magic. Sparks flew. Dust scattered. But the damage was shallow.
The golem caught one of his punches mid-swing.
Its grip tightened—stone fingers crushing down like a vice.
Hades twisted, planting a foot on the golem's forearm and flipping himself free. He landed in a crouch just in time to avoid a knee strike that shattered the wall behind where he'd stood.
The golem pressed forward, not wasting movement, every attack clean and precise. It was experienced—blocking angles, cutting off escape, forcing Hades into tighter and tighter spaces.
Hades burst upward, vaulting over its shoulder and striking the back of its head. The sound was sharp, but again—only a shallow crack.
The golem turned without looking, its elbow snapping back like a trap. Hades barely bent out of range, the strike brushing his cheek.
They circled.
The golem's steps were heavy but placed with purpose.
Hades' breaths were quick, his eyes tracking every weight shift.
This wasn't just a brute.
It was a fighter who had seen centuries of battle.
And it was only a matter of time before speed alone wouldn't be enough.
"Be careful. He is channeling mana." Beatrice informed him.
Hades narrowed his eyes.
Just then—
A beam of golden fire burst from its palm, scorching the ground where Hades had been standing a heartbeat ago. Stone hissed and smoked.
Hades darted forward, weaving through each blast, the heat grazing his skin. With every beam that struck near him, he drew the magic into himself—his muscles tightening, veins pulsing with raw power. His steps grew heavier, faster.
The golem kept firing, each shot precise, cutting off escape routes, herding him.
Hades feinted left, then shot forward with a sudden burst, his fist glowing as he aimed for the golem's chest with all his strength. The impact boomed—stone chips flying—
—but the golem's body melted into the floor like sand into water.
Hades' eyes widened.
From behind, the ground erupted. The golem rose, fully formed, and brought down its fist like a meteor.
BOOM!
The blow slammed into Hades' back, driving him into the cracked floor. The shockwave rattled the walls, dust pouring from the ceiling.
Hades rolled away before the next strike could land, the stone floor exploding where the golem's foot hit. He came up to his feet, breathing hard, the heat from the earlier beams still burning on his skin.
Just then, the Golem felt a congregation of mana from behind and without a moment of thought, it jumped.
The flames that Beatrice chanted flew through the space where the Golem stood and struck Hades—making the latter grin.
Beatrice showed no sign of regret since she knew her flames wouldn't leave much damage on the Golem.
Her target always had been Hades.
And the Golem sensed it too.
It lunged toward Hades, its fist cocked and the being ready to deliver the final blow.
However, just as it reached the surface after the great leap—it felt dread.
Its whole body was paralyzed as it looked into Hades's menacing eyes.
Beatrice flinched as well, as Hades released a presence no human should possess.
Hades's grin widened—it worked.
Without delaying even a breath's worth of time, he held the Golem's wrist, pulled it towards him, and slammed his palm into its gut.
*TING* **BOOOOOM**
The sturdy back of the Golem exploded.
The condensed mana Hades absorbed along with his raw strength was enough to break its armour.
The Golem fell on its knees, the light from its eyes dimming.
Just then, they heard a voice,
"So you have realised what you are." It was a feminine voice…not coming from the Golem but somewhere around them.
Hades narrowed his eyes as he heard the woman adding, "I await your arrival, Zerathos."
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A/N:- Thanks for reading.