Dangerous.
If they are not pulled back immediately, their consciousness will unravel. The illusion may have already touched the deepest layers of their fears and desires—destroying it could leave trauma... or turn them into empty shells for life.
"All-Seeing Eye, destroy completely!"
Lance channeled all his mental focus. The All-Seeing Eye could penetrate illusions, yes, but that wasn't enough. This was not just about seeing—Lance had to sever the main knot of this complex web of magic, like a surgeon removing a tumor from the brain without touching vital nerves.
This web of magic was alive, and Lance responded.
"Let the Seven Rings of Raggadorr cover..." Lance's voice began to tremble, his spell flowing.
"Let the Shield of Seraphim descend to the world again... and let the power of light be as strong as a storm... Light of Nirvalon!"
Lance's hand rose high, and golden light burst from his skin, like the sun exploding from within him.
But suddenly... Lance stopped.
His gaze turned back. Lance's face hardened. Something... or someone... was there.
There stood a towering angelic ghost, its wings faintly glowing like mist under the moonlight. The figure's gaze was cold and calm, like ice that never melts.
Good. It wasn't Amenadiel.
The man had lost most of his hair, and Amenadiel's power was now just a shadow of what it once was. No more than an ordinary angel. Besides, that arrogant man must have been plotting dirty tricks behind the scenes.
So there was no problem. What stood now was a female Seraphim.
"Attack—Holy Spear!"
The woman's voice rang out with power, and instantly, holy energy enveloped her body. The angel raised her arm, shimmering like celestial metal, and hurled a glowing spear pulsing with energy—not towards the large statue behind the altar, but into the empty space right in front of her.
Right at the point of the illusion's knot.
Explosion!
It wasn't the statue that shattered, but the surrounding atmosphere seemed to split apart. The sound of the explosion echoed like a thousand hellish bells ringing simultaneously. The walls reflected the reverberation, and the air vibrated as if struck by a giant hammer.
People immediately screamed. Some covered their ears, while others lost their balance and fell to the floor. Terror froze their breath.
"Wow!!" Carter jumped like a shocked monkey. Both of his hands covered his ears as he shouted, "Damn! Damn! Who's the idiot that threw a grenade in my ear?!"
"What the hell just happened?" Lee shook his head vigorously, as if trying to kick out the dizziness attacking from within his head. Even though the illusion had vanished, the world around Lee still spun.
Lance quickly grabbed their shoulders, his voice sharp and urgent. "There's a monster here. You need to evacuate everyone right now!"
"Ah?"
"Lance, what do you mean?"
"My ears... are still ringing..."
Carter, with his pitch-black finger and rough nails, scratched his ear as hard as he could, seeming more busy complaining than listening.
Lance took a deep breath, his face lined with frustration. Then, without warning—Smack!
A hard slap landed on Carter's cheek.
Carter fell silent for a moment, his eyes wide. "Hey! What was that?!"
Lance glared at Carter. "Can you hear now?"
"I can! But why did you hit me, you jerk?!"
Lance didn't respond. Instead, he turned to Lee. "What about you?"
Lee hurriedly covered his mouth and nodded quickly. "I can hear too! Don't slap me!"
"Good." Lance pointed towards the now darker and more oppressive hall, like a dragon's throat waiting for prey. "There's a monster disguised here. The missing security personnel... they seem to have been turned into snacks. Now, direct everyone to get out as fast as possible."
"Monster?" Carter scoffed, still half in disbelief. "Lance, I know you're a wizard, but—"
Bugh!
A powerful kick from Lance landed squarely on Carter's chest, sending him flying backward in a classic kung fu movie style—falling to a seated position and sliding more than four meters. But Carter was not angry. Instead, his eyes widened in shock.
Because right where Carter had been standing moments before, a metal knife whizzed through the air—almost severing Carter's head from his body. If it hadn't been for Lance's kick, Carter might have already become a silent corpse.
What attacked Carter... was a ceramic statue.
One of the dozens of ancient burial statues displayed in the exhibition hall. The statue resembled a Terracotta warrior, standing rigid yet exuding a menacing aura. They held weapons like spears, swords, and axes.
Now, the statues were alive.
They formed a battle formation like trained soldiers, their footsteps cracking the floor, their empty eyes fixed on the living visitors.
The hall transformed into a slaughterhouse.
And that was just the beginning.
The decorative stone lions that had been silent now opened their mouths. From the gaps in their granite teeth dripped illusory blood that felt real. Other statues, with wide smiles and hollow eyes, rose one by one.
They leaped, pounced, and bit.
"AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
"Oh God! Help! Help! Anyone, please save me!!!"
Screams filled the room. People ran, slipped, crashed into walls, or trampled each other. The smell of sweat, dust, and terror mixed into one. It was as if hell had descended directly into the museum.
"Fire! Fire!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Aaaahhh!!!"
Screams mixed with gunfire filled the chaotic museum hall. Among the panicked crowd, it wasn't just the lost and helpless celebrities—some Los Angeles police officers and FBI agents looked equally clueless about what to do.
They shot, of course. The bullets pierced the chests of the living terracotta statues, shattering their bodies into stone fragments, but in an instant, the fragments reformed. The creatures continued to advance without pain, without emotion.
Worse still, ricocheting bullets bounced in all directions—causing accidental injuries, shattering display cases, puncturing walls, and nearly hitting a little girl who was pulled away by her mother at the last second.
Carter, thrown from behind the information desk, rolled on the floor and struggled to get up. He pulled out his gun while staring in shock at the dozens of statues marching forward like an ancient army risen from the grave.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
[Note: 320+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]