Clarence already knew one thing clearly—Vaelor and Alfred were far stronger than most of his people. A direct confrontation would be foolish. If he wanted control, he had to play smarter.
He smiled faintly and spoke calmly.
"Before you make any move, let me inform you of something," Clarence said. "Your friends are my hostages."
At his signal, the masked men dragged Serin and Perun into view. Both were unconscious, their bodies carelessly restrained.
Vaelor's expression darkened. He instinctively stepped forward, ready to rush toward them.
Clarence raised his hand. "Now… what do you think you're doing?"
Vaelor clenched his fists. "Leave them. This is between us."
Alfred glanced at the scene and then looked away, forcing his voice to stay cold.
"Even if you've taken them hostage, it has nothing to do with me."
Clarence's smile widened. "Oh, Alfred… for you, I have something special."
He leaned closer. "I have Carinus."
For a split second, Alfred froze.
The name echoed in his mind like a buried memory clawing its way back. Still, he composed himself quickly.
"Do you really think you can even reach
Clarence chuckled. "It's difficult for you to reach him. Not for us. Our organization has grown far beyond what you imagine."
Alfred didn't want to believe it—but the name Carinus was not something ordinary. It was a name known only to a handful of people connected to Alfred's past. Even Junwell and Caeson had no knowledge of it.
His jaw tightened.
"So what do you want?" Alfred said. "You want me to betray Dr. Howard? That's not possible."
Clarence raised his shoulders casually. "For now, there's no need to decide. Consider it… an offer."
He then turned toward Vaelor.
"And you, Vaelor. I also have an offer for you. Join us. Stand with our side."
Silence hung heavy between them.
"For now," Clarence continued, "both of you have only one task."
"Search for the Magma Stone."
Vaelor exchanged a glance with Alfred.
"And how are we supposed to know anything about it?" Vaelor asked.
Alfred followed up sharply, "Where do we even begin?"
Clarence's eyes gleamed. "That," he said, "you'll have to find out yourselves."
Clarence suddenly laughed softly.
"Relax… just joking."
He raised his hand and gave a brief signal. One of the masked men stepped forward, holding a circular glass globe. The globe hovered slightly above his palms, glowing with a cold blue light, its surface smooth like water trapped inside glass. He placed it carefully in front of Clarence.
Clarence stepped closer and said calmly,
"Now see where the arcane truly lies."
From his black coat, he took out a small blue stone, faintly pulsating, and placed it against the globe. The moment it touched, the globe began to react. Inside it, symmetrical lines started forming, thin at first, then sharper—like an diagram drawing itself. The patterns twisted, overlapped, and finally shaped into a moving scene, revealing a plain land near the amusement rides, empty and unsettlingly silent.
Clarence pointed at it. "That's our destination."
Without waiting, he ordered everyone to move in that direction.
After reaching the location, Clarence stepped forward alone. He crouched down and placed his palm on the ground, closing his eyes. His fingers traced invisible lines across the soil, as if reading something buried beneath the earth.
Vaelor frowned, watching closely.
What is he doing…?
Alfred's eyes narrowed. Something about this felt familiar—too familiar. He had seen this before… somewhere… long ago.
Clarence finished his inspection. He stood up and took out a black square object, about the length of a human hand. Its surface absorbed light unnaturally. He placed it firmly into the ground, then slowly stepped back.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Vaelor felt uneasy.
Is this some kind of bluff?
But Alfred's expression changed.
That object… I've seen it before.
Suddenly, the ground began to shake violently.
The tremors grew stronger. People struggled to keep their balance. Dust rose into the air as cracks spread across the land. Then, with a deafening rumble, three small stone structures emerged from the earth.
Two of them were empty.
The third held a reddish-yellow stone, glowing with intense heat—the Magma Stone.
Clarence smiled. "Move."
One of the masked men stepped forward without hesitation. The instant his foot touched the marked area—
In a single blink, his body disintegrated into ashes, scattering into the air.
Silence.
Vaelor's eyes widened in shock. "What the hell just happened?!"
Clarence didn't even flinch. He only smiled wider.
Alfred turned sharply toward him. "You sacrificed your own man?"
Clarence replied calmly, "Yes."
He pointed toward the stone pillars.
"Look closely. One of the empty pillars has sunk down."
Only one pillar remained standing.
Clarence continued, his voice cold and amused, "And now, I'll let you choose who goes next. After that, we can finally take the Magma Stone."
For Alfred, killing was never difficult—but sacrificing his own people crossed a line he had never stepped over.
Vaelor stood frozen. He couldn't choose.