Bastard Homunculus: Reborn in the Corpse Pit-Chapter 207: Anima(Part 6)

"That went pretty well, didn’t it? Besides the incident yesterday, things are progressing pretty smoothly," Remarked Aster, as he headed back to the hotel with Jules, Lyra, Wistari, Feno and Antel.

They were riding in a large, reinforced vehicle that their hosts had provided for them to safely travel to and from the conference in.

The conference had ended a few minutes ago, with most of the details settled. They would wrap up and finalize the alliance tomorrow.

With today’s part of the peace talks done with, Jules suggested that the group return to the hotel and stay there until the last part of the conference tomorrow.

"Come on, don’t let your guard down. This vehicle may be quite sturdy, but a powerful enough Magical attack could break through," Jules warned him.

"Don’t worry, I’m not slacking off. Quite the opposite, actually, I’m only acting like I’ve let my guard down. If there are any assailants stalking us, this should prompt them to show themselves. And we can make use of that, to draw them out and capture them. I’ve also set up a telekinetic barrier around the vehicle, it’ll take quite a fair bit of force to break through it," Aster informed her as he lowered his voice and leaned closer towards her.

Jules tensed slightly as she felt her heart skip a bit, before averting her gaze as she noticed Lyra giving her a knowing smirk. She took a deep breath as she felt her face heating up, in an effort to compose herself.

"Uh, Commander? You okay?" Inquired Aster in bemusement, looking concerned.

"H-Huh? Yes, I’m fine, it’s nothing! And good work, keep it up," She responded, doing her best to try and calm down.

"Impressive shrewdness and cunning, I must say. But I don’t think this is necessary, we should be fine. I seriously doubt any potential attackers would be stupid enough to make a move in broad daylight. Especially with the APF on extra high alert thanks to yesterday’s incident," Spoke up Antel.

"Perhaps, but even so, it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious and prepared for any possibility, however unlikely," Stated Wistari prudently, before adding, "On another note, this is the first time I’ve ridden in a motor vehicle. Is it rather loud, isn’t it?"

"Agreed, it lacks elegance. I will say, it is a lot faster and less bumpy than carriages, at least," Replied Feno, staring out the window.

"Ah, there’s the hotel, we’re almost there," Remarked Lyra, as the building came into sight.

"Should be fine to take down my barrier now. I-...," Began Aster, before abruptly trailing off as a massive barrier suddenly formed around the hotel, engulfing the tall building in a matter of seconds, the vehicle coming to a halt.

"What is this? What’s going on?" Frowned Jules, gripping the handle of her sword and getting ready to draw it out as her gaze darted across to the windows, before her attention snapped towards the hotel as a deafening explosion rang out by the building’s entrance.

The section of the wall around the entrance collapsed, sealing it shut with a pile of rubble.

"Queen Lyra, take this. It’s a Teleport Spell that’ll take you straight to the castle," Remarked Aster, handing her a Spell Card.

"Yes, you need to leave, your Highness. We’ll handle things here," Nodded Jules in agreement.

"I-...very well, then. Be careful," Replied Lyra, before reluctantly activating the Spell and disappearing.

"We should get outside, we’re sitting ducks in here," Pointed out Aster, reaching for one of the doors.

"Yes, good call," Responded Wistari, before the group got out of the vehicle, cautiously surveying their surroundings before heading towards the hotel.

"Destroy it," Instructed Jules with a grimace.

"You got it," Nodded Aster, approaching the barrier as he activated his Telekinetic Zone, before unleashing a devastating burst of telekinetic force against the barrier, his eyes widening as a few ripples across it upon impact, but it didn’t break, "Seriously? How the hell is it so strong?"

"Such complexity...even our best Spell formulators would struggle to create such a durable barrier," Remarked Feno, taking a close look and inspecting the barrier.

"This definitely isn’t a standard issue barrier. The amount of force you struck it with, I’ve never across a barrier that could have withstood such a powerful impact," Antel informed them, as he tapped on the barrier a couple of times.

"Looks like it blocks teleportation too. I can’t teleport to the area inside it," Frowned Aster, as he took out a Spell Card and activated it, but nothing happened.

"In that case, there’s only one surefire way to deal with it. Captain Aster, teleport back to Persona and get Tacitus, bring him here as quickly as you can," Instructed Jules, after a brief pause.

"Yeah, got it. Doesn’t matter how powerful this barrier is, his Nullification will get rid of it. Alright, then, I’ll be right b-...," Began Aster as he took a Spell Card out of his Storage Ring, before abruptly trailing off as four hooded figures suddenly teleported around the group.

One of the hooded figures activated a Spell Card, before drawing out a gleaming dagger. The other three hooded figures took out their own weapons, a set of dual blades, a whip and a sword with a long, narrow blade.

"I don’t know who you people are, but you will not get away with this," Remarked Antel icily, drawing out his pair of short spears as he shifted his right foot across slightly, the ground around the feet of the hooded figures rising up.

Two of them let out startled cries as their legs got trapped in thick blocks of earth, while the other two sprang away to avoid getting snared.

"Damn it, I can’t move!"

"Kill at least one of the humans, we can’t let them all survive!" One of the figures who hadn’t gotten caught in Antel’s Spell exclaimed, before firing out a couple of bolts of lightning, blasting the blocks of earth and freeing his comrades.

He then stiffened in alarm as Aster launched himself forward with a telekinetic burst from his heels, starting to swing his dagger across, but he was too slow to react.

Aster swiftly reached out, grabbing the hooded figure’s face and driving him down, slamming him onto the ground and knocking him out upon impact, right as Jules unleashed a roaring blast of flames, which collided against another of the hooded figures, who screamed in pain as the flames blasted her away, sending her hurtling back before she crashed against the barrier, losing consciousness as the back of her head slammed onto the barrier.

"What an opportunity this has turned out to be. Let’s capture them alive and have them taken in for questioning," Remarked Wistari, drawing out her dual blades as an intense burst of crackling lightning erupted around her.

"D-Damn it, they’re too strong!"

"We have no choice, we have to retreat!"

"Don’t let them get away!" Exclaimed Jules, blasting herself forward with pressurized jets of flames from her feet, but it was too late.

One of the hooded figures took out a Spell Card and activated it, all of them instantly disappearing from sight, including the two that had been knocked out.

"Damn it...looks like all of them were linked to that Spell, all it needed was for one of them to activate it and all of them could escape at the same time," Surmised Aster with a grimace, before adding as he glanced at the Teleport Spell in his hand, "And that Spell they activated when they first showed up, it must have been some kind of Spell to wreck other Spell Cards. This isn’t working anymore, and I don’t have a spare."

"I don’t have any Teleport Spells to take us back to Persona either," Responded Jules, clenching her fists.

"We do, but we left them with Nero," Remarked Wistari, as she glanced at the hotel.

"I think Raven should have one too," Nodded Aster, unleashing a couple of powerful telekinetic blasts at the barrier, but it had no effect.

"The barrier extends underground, so we can’t get through from below either," Frowned Antel, as he used his Magic to moved away the dirt around the barrier.

"Then, we have no choice but to wait and hope that the others can handle whatever’s going on inside. It’s almost certain that they’re being attacked," Replied Jules.

"Hm...I wouldn’t be too worried, I doubt the enemy has anyone who would be a genuine threat to Raven," Pointed out Aster.

"Agreed, and Nero can more than take care of himself as well," Nodded Wistari in agreement.

"Don’t forget about my fellow Adventurers. Kora is considered to be the strongest individual in the nation, she’s quite powerful," Chimed in Antel.

"Gotta say, this is a pretty bold attack, to make such a conspicuous move during the day like this. We’ll have to count on the others to make them regret it," Remarked Aster.

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