Edited by dreamandwonder
Although it was called the Edelstein Pillar, in reality, this ‘pillar’ was a magical field that consisted of two main layers: the Heavenly Layer that rested on the top floor of the building, and the Earthbound Layer that was hidden away down underground.
Down on floor B13, guardians patrolled heavily. Behind a thick glass window was a magical array that sizzled in a large containment room. Nine black pillars were arranged in a circular formation, streams of magic passed through each one to create the magical field. This field was but a fragment of the entire magical structure that spanned between multiple dimensions.
Who could blame Aoibhinn for being momentarily mesmerized by this stunning piece of magical technology that sparkled before her eyes? She felt so comparatively small to the dimension-bending structure. The ingenuity of mankind had most certainly progressed. The very thought sent shivers down her spine.
With a deep breath, she forcefully pulled herself away from the thick glass. Out of her lovely emerald dress, Aoibhinn had been forced to wear shoes on her feet. The combat boots she found rather uncomfortable and she wasn’t quite fond of the military trousers that came with the standard Pillar guardian uniform either.
But there was nothing she could do about it. Infiltrating a facility as secure as the Edelstein Pillar was no easy feat. And yet, it was for that very reason that Aoibhinn wished to sneak inside and wreak havoc.
She was insatiable with an unspeakable need; desperate with festering madness that corrupted her soul. Perhaps the old her would have cared for the damages caused, but currently, she did not.
So she strutted through the narrow hallways, searching for the control room that she had been told about. The room was heavily guarded with wards and all types of modern mechanisms. Without hesitation, she knocked on the door.
Inside, the guardian who manned the control room perked up. There were usually at least three high-ranked guardians stationed, but between shift rotations and breaks, there were occasionally hours when there would be only one.
But this one man was not one to be underestimated. Though he might have been a researcher that spent his hours monitoring the Pillar’s status, he was an active hunter that boasted a B-rank license.
Aoibhinn’s presence did not alarm him, for he wasn’t too concerned when spotting the familiar face through the monitor. What he saw was messy brown hair and a freckled face, perhaps a bit bright-eyed and young for his tastes.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The lock on the control room can only be opened from the inside by regular staff members, therefore it was required to have at least one person within at all times. The old guardian pressed his hand to a scanner that opened the heavy door. “That was a long break, Charlotte,” he chided.
Cblytlcc rwlifv ja tlw. “Gb obgulnf ws ajgvlcfrr, yfibnfv.”
Ktf biv tecafg revvfcis ofia atja rbwfatlcu kjr jkoeiis kgbcu. Lf oilcmtfv, jijgwfv.
Ds atfc la kjr jigfjvs abb ijaf.
…
Cc bivfg wjc tjv atf wlrobgaecf bo gfqijmlcu Njiaafgl’r qbra ja atf kgbcu alwf, obg la kjr tf atja ater reoofgfv atf mbcrfdefcmfr jcv cba atf ijhs rmbea.
The security guard watched helplessly as he watched Charlotte’s petite form shift into that of a different woman, tall and voluptuous, her hair strikingly long. The researcher lied on the ground, face down. She looked into the camera and smiled, motioning at a person that stood just outside of the camera’s view. What appeared to be black boots stepped over the fallen guardian and then the feed went dark.
The security guard tried to scream, but the black root that bound him to his chair was also slowly making its way down his throat, ruthlessly scraping down the walls of his esophagus.
There was nothing he could do.
…
Han Li and Valtteri’s heroic arrival was cut short at security. The car was stuck there in the terminal with the security guard hounding them nonstop. Han Li sighed and leaned against the window, staring out at the tall fence surrounding the building’s perimeters. Though the wall seemed plain at first glance, Han Li could practically feel the myriad of wards that encompassed the entire property. In fact, it was making him feel a tiny bit nauseous.
“I’m sorry Sir Hop- Hopa— Hopehowareyou. But I cannot allow unauthorized personnel to enter the premises.”
“I’ve been working here for two years…” Valtteri scrunched up his nose and sighed. “Two years, hello? And you…still can’t pronounce my name. It’s Hopeaharju.”
The security guard scowls in turn, “Look, sir, I know you and you know me, yeah? But I don’t know that lad there. Can’t let him in.”
Two pairs of eyes shot at Han Li. “Erm,” he said awkwardly, glaring at both the security guard and Valtteri since the bastard landed them both in this situation. “Look dude, sure you’re doing your job and all but we’re doing ours. We’re on a mission, you know? Sorry but our target kind of barreled in on this place so…can you please, pretty please let us in?” Han Li tried not to cringe as he brought his two hands together and flashed his best puppy dog eyes.
Something told him it wasn’t working because the security guard was scowling with avid disgust. “That’s not possible,” he said, “there must have been a mistake about. Supernaturals aren’t going to be getting past our wards just like that, aight? If there really was a problem, I’d be notified of your authorization, which frankly, I don’t got.”
“Does it look like we’ve time to get authorization out on the field?” Han Li’s smile began to strain, his impatience simmering with the itch he felt under his skin. He wanted something to sink his claws into and tear to shreds.
The security guard opened his mouth, protest on lips. But before any words could come out, a loud boom thundered to their left. Han Li snapped his gaze, watching as smoke rose from the wall around the building.
“T-This can’t be,” the security guard turned ghastly pale, his voice trembling and eyes wide. “There wasn’t even an announcement— What—“
Just then, as though in response, his radio buzzed to life. “Code Red! Code Red, fucking bollocks it’s— where the fuck is it!? C-can you talk? I can’t read these damned screens! North side? Yeah, north side!”
“W-what going on!?” The security guard retreated into his booth, fumbling with the piece of technology as though doing so would provide him answers. Han Li’s patience had all but evaporated.
“Fuck!” Valtteri swore, “Just let us in, dammit!” But the boom barrier that stopped them was no ordinary piece of machinery. If Valtteri were to slam down on the breaks, it would probably slice the vehicle in two.
Han Li ran out of fucks to give. “Hit the gas,” he hissed, drawing his sword at the same time. Weian was unleashed, the sword cut through the air, and jammed itself right into the electronic gate barrier. The machine screeched and beeped, but just for good measure, Han Li tossed a few talismans into the fray as well, frying the machine until it buzzed and sparked on its own. He wasn’t done just yet. Even if Han Li hadn’t taken a single step out of his car it didn’t stop him from stirring up a mess.
With his hand forming a seal, Weian twitched and gained a life of its own, slicing through wires and metal until the boom barrier was little more than a pile of scrap. Valtteri stepped on the gas and they were in.
The car steered toward the explosion, its driver uncaring if he had to roll through the lawn and sidewalk in order to do so. A horde of demons advanced; basics and mid-tiers alike, the desire demons rushed forth while the sorrow ones lumbered behind. More alarming, were the screeching calls of wrath demons, their oversized paws towered and the ground quaked as they walked.
“Where…did these fuckers even…come from!?” Valtteri was seriously at his wit’s end. A small group of guardians was already gathering, their weapons brandished against the demonic force that approached. Shouts and commands mixed with gunshots and the like.
“Good question.” Han Li licked his lips. The nausea abated, now that the horde had put a dent into the wall.
Han Li rolled down the window and once again summoned his third eye, scanning the area with his enhanced sight. As expected, the horde of demons emitted quite a dense cloud of miasma that blistered and bubbled as it released into the air, slowly poisoning the atmosphere. Han Li looked around, searching for the source. It didn’t take him long.
Beneath the earth, there were thick veins of magic, dark and corrupt. He did not quite understand what they were, only that they stood out, odd against the landscape of spiritual auras and festering miasma.
But there was something else that caught his attention as well. A thin tendril from this blackened earth cluster of veins reached out and disappeared beneath the tall grey building that stood amid the layers of wards and protections.
Just when Han Li was about to open his mouth, Valtteri stomped on the gas. The car sped up, only to hit and bump before it launched itself into the air and Han Li was soon straining against his seat belt. When he looked around, all sorts of demons colored the view just outside the window, bodies black with claws and snapping jaws. But he only had to glare at them and the basic demons whimpered and cowed.
The car crashed back into the ground, bouncing on its abused tires, its frame threatening to give. Valtteri swerved the car, a sizable amount of foes drawn by the reckless vehicle now advancing on them.
“I…suggest that you put that…away before we get out,” Valtteri said, pointing at the third eye that sat in the middle of Han Li’s head.
Han Li smiled, wry. “Yeah I know, but first I got some bad news. So, about where these guys came from…”
Valtteri: ….negotiation can…be tiring so…
Han Li: so when in doubt, just step on the gas and worry about the consequences later
Author: ….!?!? Why do I feel like these two are a terrible influence on each other……..
💥😈🚙Squished demons on the windshield!!! UWAA YES!!
LMFAO U__U when in doubt, just step on the gas, weeeeeee
damn, they opened a portal!
thanks for the chapter <3
thank you for readinnggg <3 <3
Man… Valtteri, I’m loving you dude.
You sure the 2 were not partners In crime in their past lives? Cuz, Keep the chemistry up, and soon you’ll be on top of my favorite side character list.
And Screw the ML, I’ve already forgotten his name.
TT__TT e-eh weepss valtteri wouldn’t settle for anyone shorter than him though.
I also don’t think there’s anyone taller than him LOLWhat if there’s a huge plot twist and Han Li dumps Grams and gets together with Valtteri lmao
omggg let me just scrap 100+ chapters of development T___T;;;
Aaah so Aoibhinn really is getting corrupted by something!! Now I hope Grams will make a grand entrance and then you’ll make Han Li suffer (because we know you love it, val) because of Graham old reliationship…. 🙃
Thanks for the chapter 🍆🍆🍆🍆
mmm yeah! she erm, is u_u
what’s even the point of writing unless you can make characters suffer weeeeeee
🍆🍆🍆🍆
A root making its way down his throat… ewwww 😖 if I say that’s brutal it would be an understatement. Aoibhinn is a barbarian, period.
Yessss, drive the demons over Valtteri, great way to enter! As for where the demons came from… let’s just hope this pillar won’t fall.
Thank you for the chapter!!!
TT__TT she is. Well torture to her, is pretty normal!
thank you for readdinggggg
Valtteri and Han Li are the best duo ( ╹▽╹ )
Aoibhinn, do you like modern technology?? Why don’t you, like, just admire it instead of destroying everything?? Just saying….. Grams won’t be proud of you if you do that
Thank you for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️
theyre just 2 trouble making monkies just wreaking havoc left and right u_u
mmmm she misses her home though u_u the one that no long exists LOL
thank u for readingggg
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
assdfghjklkl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
val shizun, Aoibhinn is scary…..
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!gjeiogjoiwejgweogw
w-what whyyy ;-;
she’s uh…she’s not…that bad….i think?
“Hopeaharju” – how should it be pronounced?
U-UHHH u__u; go on google translate and set it to finnish! the google translate robot lady should be able to tell you better than I can.
Thank you.
Valtteri, man, be safe because I want you to stay alive. (☞ ಠ_ಠ)☞
o u ocan’t decide if this makes me wanna kill him more or not—
The two of them definitely get along well 🤣
I feel like I’d be cheering if I was in the back seat and the situation wasn’t so dire
Lovely chapter ❤️❤️❤️