The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 606: The Pursuit Through Vault Enoch

Chapter 606: The Pursuit Through Vault Enoch

"Then we fight," I snapped, cold and decisive. My fingers danced rapidly through the air, weaving intricate illusionary patterns. Immediately, mirrored versions of us surged outward in all directions, scattering convincingly down adjacent corridors. The confusion would buy mere seconds, but in situations like these, seconds could define survival.

We moved as one, sprinting out of Vault Enoch. Each corridor felt narrower, darker, more oppressive, as if the fortress itself had turned hostile. Footsteps echoed behind us—boots pounding on polished stone floors with rhythmic precision, the unmistakable cadence of trained enforcers in pursuit.

I flicked a quick glance over my shoulder, analyzing the approaching enforcers. Their movements were crisp, disciplined, a perfect reflection of the Council's rigid order. Behind them, arcane constructs formed rapidly, shimmering into existence with bursts of concentrated mana. Their eyes glowed fiercely, crackling with deadly energy as they surged after us, unhesitating in their pursuit.

"Left!" I barked, turning sharply down another narrow passageway, the artifact gripped tightly against my chest. Asterion followed smoothly, his eyes constantly flicking behind, assessing threats with each glance. The halls twisted and branched chaotically, becoming increasingly labyrinthine the deeper we delved. Every turn offered momentary respite, but the fortress's winding architecture was a weapon itself, designed explicitly to trap intruders within its maze-like corridors.

We burst into a broad corridor, only to find a trio of enforcers already blocking our path. They reacted instantly, swords and staves rising in seamless synchrony, magic flaring violently. I felt a surge of raw power snap toward us, flames roaring toward us in a lethal torrent. My mana surged in reflexive response, crafting an intricate barrier in an instant. The flames struck harmlessly against my shield, dispersing into harmless sparks, yet the momentary halt cost valuable momentum.

"Keep moving!" I snapped at Asterion, even as he deflected a bolt of destructive energy with a precise sweep of his blade.

He didn't waste time replying, pivoting instead into a low, sweeping kick that caught one enforcer squarely in the knee, dropping him instantly. Another lunged forward, blade slashing toward my chest with lethal intent. I twisted sharply sideways, narrowly avoiding the strike as I channeled leyline energy directly through my palm, sending a concentrated burst of force that hurled the attacker backwards into the far wall, knocking him unconscious instantly.

We surged onward without pausing, urgency spurring our movements. Each corridor felt narrower, each hallway more constrictive than the last, as though the fortress itself sought to ensnare us within its depths. My mana strained constantly, weaving illusions so convincingly that even the fortress's advanced security measures hesitated briefly, uncertain which path was true.