Re-Awakening: Evolving My Shadow Limitlessly With A System-Chapter 16 - 3-Star Mage, Suspicion Of Frank’s Connection To Supernaturals

Chapter 16: 3-Star Mage, Suspicion Of Frank’s Connection To Supernaturals

MC’s POV

I placed both hands over the pile of gold bars and muttered the Invocation Phrase.

A moment later, white wisps of energy rose from the metal.

The luster drained from the gold as if something was being peeled away.

Mana.

I took a deep breath and activated the Mana Breathing Technique.

The mana in the room flowed towards me.

My body trembled, being flooded with energy.

My limbs tensed and head became light.

I gritted my teeth and endured it, forcing every thread of mana into my system.

Then I began.

[Mana Constellation Creation Technique]

The energy surged inside me.

My Magic Core trembled.

I was trying to control the storm of mana thrashing inside my body and create constellations from it.

The mana was on the verge of going berserk.

Every wrong stroke threatened to rupture me. Still, I moved with practiced precision.

A second star lit up inside my Magic Core.

Class Mage

Grade: 1-Star → 2-Star

+3 Intelligence, +3 Spirit

The notification flickered in the corner of my vision.

I ignored it and went back to work. There wasn’t time to waste.

Once again, I used the Mana Constellation Creation Technique.

My breathing was shallow now, and every vein in my body pulsed with so much power that it felt like I would explode.

And I would have exploded, if not for my previous life experience guiding me.

’One more star. Just one more.’

With gritted teeth and the calm steadiness I earned in my previous life, I held the mana together.

Class Mage

Grade: 2-Star → 3-Star

+3 Intelligence, +3 Spirit

The third star formed, lighting the darkness within my Mana Core.

I exhaled slowly.

The pressure on my body was immense, but I could feel the mana now moving smoothly through my system.

My Magic Core had stabilized.

My limbs were still small, my bones were still childish, but the power in me was now enough to challenge monsters and warriors.

I put away the dull, used-up gold into the Spatial Inventory embedded in the floor.

Then I teleported to the study, booted up the computer, connected to the internet, and pulled up a detailed map of the city.

I focused on road networks, entry and exit paths, especially ones leading to secluded or mountainous areas.

’Frank will move as soon as he realizes Liana isn’t coming back. I should leave now, before he escapes.’

After memorizing the likely paths and routes a target would take when retreating, I closed the screen and teleported out of the house.

A single step took me from the comfort of home to the dense forest near Frank’s mansion.

I had always known where his house was, so the teleportation was instantaneous.

The distance between our mansions was large, but the three stars inside my Mana Core had enough mana to cover for it.

I sat atop a thick tree branch.

From this distance, I could see the rooftop of Frank’s house.

I didn’t have to wait long.

He came out of the house with a suitcase. Three others followed him. My eyes narrowed as I studied their movements.

They weren’t ordinary.

Even from this distance, the way they moved gave their identity away.

They were trained.

Their bodies’ strength went beyond the realm of normal humans, their steps were filled with power, and their eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings for attackers.

’Supernaturals.’

One of the women looked exactly like Liana. She was likely her twin.

There was also a large man, probably a tank or frontline fighter, and another woman with a hunter’s posture.

’Four supernaturals,’

’How did Frank get into contact with them?’

Our families were new money.

They didn’t have ties to the supernatural world. At least, they shouldn’t have yet.

My father and Frank rose up the ladder on pure business talent, not ancient bloodlines or secret magical deals.

Still, the evidence was right in front of me.

Frank had somehow come in contact with supernatural side of the world.

This was not normal.

The Overseer of Earth strictly forbade supernatural people from interfering in life of normal people.

If not for this rule, the Clans would’ve trained normal people and raised them as their soldiers.

I decided to look into Frank’s connection to supernatural world later.

I had a more important job right now.

Using portals, I followed them.

My body was small and inconvenient, but portals made up for it. I teleported short distances in sync with their car’s movements.

After a while, I saw the pattern.

The car was headed towards the mountain paths on the outskirts.

’That must be their safehouse’s location. That’s the only reason to take that road.’

I stopped tailing them and jumped ahead, creating a portal straight to a curved section of road along the mountain path.

It was a narrow turn with trees surrounding it. Perfect for what I needed.

I crouched low among the branches and leaves, far above the curve, and began preparing.

"—Magic Bullet."

I created a Magic Bullet.

Then, using Telekinesis, I spun it rapidly, increasing its velocity and piercing potential.

It took considerable control to keep it from tearing itself apart.

I called these versions Piercing Magic Bullets.

They cost less mana than standard destructive spells and hit just as hard, especially if targeted precisely.

I prepared to open one portal in front of me and another directly inside the SUV, right in front of the driver.

After reaching 3-star Mage grade the number of portals I could create increased.

I waited.

Time passed slowly.

But patience was an assassin’s sharpest blade.

Eventually, the SUV appeared.

Just as I predicted, they turned the corner with steady speed.

I fired.

The Piercing Magic Bullet shot through the first portal and appeared inside the vehicle.

The driver’s head burst open.

The SUV jerked violently, tires screeching as control vanished.

They veered off the road and broke through the railing.

I watched as the vehicle dropped off the cliff.

I remained still and waited.

A moment later, there was movement down below.

They had survived. Supernaturals had tough bodies, after all.

I formed another Magic Bullet, and spun it again.

’Let’s finish this, Frank.’

I opened the portals again. One near me, the other just above where they had crashed.

Before this, I had positioned myself carefully so I could still see them even after the fall.

There was smoke. Metal was bent. One of the doors opened.

I fired again.

...

Frank POV

Freya groaned.

Blood streaked down from one side of her face.

Her breathing was shallow.

Across from her, Vi wasn’t moving.

Her leg was bent the wrong way, and her usually alert expression was now replaced by a sickly pale stillness.

Frank was the only one left uninjured.

He kicked the car door open, hard enough that it came off completely.

He didn’t waste time.

Before helping the others, he reached for the black suitcase on the floor behind the driver’s seat and pulled it out.

A sharp sound sliced through the air.

Shing.

It was faint—like air being cut by a blade—but it came an instant before Leon’s head had exploded earlier.

Frank’s instincts kicked in.

He jerked his head back.

A projectile whistled past him, ripping through the air and slamming into a tree behind the car.

The trunk splintered violently.

It took two grown men to wrap around that tree, yet the projectile pierced through it like paper.

Frank didn’t flinch.

His expression remained unchanged.

He crouched beside the car and helped Freya and Vi out, dragging them behind the vehicle for temporary cover.

Vi was barely conscious.

"Can you track the attacker?" he asked.

Vi’s lips moved, but no words came out.

Her face was twisted with pain.

Her mind wasn’t in any state to use her abilities.

"It’s my mistake to have trusted freelance mercenaries," he muttered.

He placed the suitcase on the ground and opened it.

Inside it were two items.

A sword with a faint golden hue and an amulet covered in runes.

He tossed the amulet toward Freya, who had just managed to pull her spear from the back seat.

"Put your mana into it."

Freya did as told.

A moment later, a translucent dome expanded from the amulet, forming a defensive barrier around them.

None of them relaxed despite the barrier’s presence.

Leon had died inside the car.

Whatever had killed him hadn’t pierced the vehicle; it had appeared inside the car directly.

This barrier could be ignored like the car’s walls too.

Shing.

The sound again.

A tiny portal shimmered into existence right beside Vi’s temple.

Her eyes widened in terror. She froze. There was no time to react.

But her head didn’t explode.

Instead, Frank moved.

Without even glacing at her, he slid the flat side of his sword between her head and the portal’s mouth.

Clang. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

The projectile slammed into the sword and ricocheted away, vanishing into the distance.

Frank didn’t look at Vi. He just raised his sword and pointed eastward—toward the top of a tree.

"The flash of a magic circle activation came from that direction. That’s where the attacker is firing magic bullets from."

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m