Eternal Undying Chronicles-Chapter 209: Dreams Of Freedom

The chase raged on. The old alchemist unleashed a barrage of attacks, each one calculated to wipe out the espers, yet nothing seemed to land.

His eyes narrowed as he huffed for breath, feeling the sting of his injuries. His barrier was cracked—damaged from their relentless resistance.

"How… are they doing that?"

He scowled, considering two possibilities.

The first was Chrona. Her esper ability, [Chrono Break], allowed her to rewind time—a frustratingly unfair power. Worse still, he wouldn't even be able to tell if she was using it. If she had already reset events, how many times had she done it? How many of his attacks had already failed before he even launched them?

The second possibility was that damn probability manipulator—[Lucky Break]. If he remembered correctly, the esper who wielded it, Lucky, could unconsciously twist fate in his favor. No matter how slim the odds, things would always work out for him. If something should have killed him, a freak accident would intervene.

And as luck would have it, both of them were in the same van.

But his real target—the Nexus Key—was in the other vehicle.

Even if they appeared to be dodging effortlessly, esper abilities weren't infinite. They required mental strain, calculations, and precision. Even time manipulation wasn't limitless; sooner or later, Chrona would wear herself out. And when that happened…

"They must be heading to that Eternal's base of operations…" he muttered, eyes darkening.

"I can't let them reach her mansion."

If they did, it would be over. The place would undoubtedly be warded by barriers—and worse, it could be guarded by Night Shades. He had taken advantage of the chaos of the battle against the Strigoi to steal the Nexus Key, but if he failed here… there would be no second chances.

"No matter. I'll split them up."

Hovering above the pursuit, the alchemist steadied himself on a manhole cover he had transmuted into a flying board. The espers raced toward a massive bridge, the traffic chaotic as civilians frantically swerved out of the way.

A smirk played on his lips.

This was his chance.

The first van, carrying the Nexus Key, sped ahead, with their leader standing atop it and the mounted turret to rain bullets on him. The second van followed closely behind, providing support.

He waved his hand.

The moment they reached the center of the bridge, the ground erupted.

A massive crack split through the structure, metal groaning as support pillars buckled. The bridge snapped in two, severing their path.

Screams echoed from civilians as cars plunged toward the water below.

Caden, eyes wide with horror, reacted instantly. He moved to lift the second van across the gap with his telekinesis—but then hesitated. The civilians.

They were falling.

Torn between his mission and saving innocent lives, he cursed and threw out his hands. His power surged, catching the plummeting cars in mid-air, halting the collapse of the bridge.

On the opposite side, the alchemist chuckled, watching the van carrying the Nexus Key veer off course. As for the other van he hadn't destroyed it outright—he was wary of Chrona's power or Lucky's influence triggering an unpredictable reversal.

Instead, he flew after the Nexus Key, his gaze locked on his prize.

Inside the van, Ping bit his lip, tapping his earpiece.

"Go around and regroup! We'll meet at another location!"

He slammed his foot down on the gas, pushing the engine to its limits.

The old alchemist wasn't going to give them time to escape.

Ping activated his technopathy. The van roared in response, its systems syncing with his mind as he swerved past obstacles, narrowly avoiding collisions.

But the alchemist was already waving his hand.

"Espers have a fatal weakness…" he mused. "Your powers require concentration. And with the right interference—"

A magic circle formed, sending out an oscillating frequency.

A piercing hum filled the air.

Ping's vision blurred. Caden, mid-fight, clutched his head in agony.

The sound disrupted their focus, making it nearly impossible to use their abilities.

Before Caden could recover, the alchemist's arms warped into steel, and with a single devastating strike—

BAM!

Caden was sent flying off the van.

Christina, sensing it instantly, teleported out of the vehicle. She caught him just before he plummeted to his death, but then an activated a magic seal beneath them, forming a protective barrier as they landed sealing them into a trap.

The alchemist scoffed.

"How predictable. Running to save your friend… Just as I anticipated. Two down."

Inside the van, Ping cursed.

"Damn it!"

Petra shoved open the back door, preparing to counterattack.

The alchemist smirked as he saw her emerge.

[Mind Burst].

A high-level psychometric attack.

"I'm afraid I can't let you touch me…"

With a flick of his wrist, a blast of wind shot toward her—carrying the same disruptive frequency.

The van swerved violently in the direction of the docks, smashing through obstacles as Ping struggled to concentrate.

Chris remained unmoving in the back, gripping the Nexus Key—he was their last line of defense. The roof was ripped away as the van crashed into the side of a warehouse, its impact shaking the structure.

The old alchemist tumbled out, groaning, while Ping emerged from the wreckage, now inside a compact mech suit, its mounted guns clicking into place.

"Chris, go now! Finish the gig!"

Chris bit his lip but nodded.

"Don't die, please..."

Ping laughed, picking up Petra, who was still unconscious.

"I'm not gonna raise any more red flags."

Chris turned and bolted toward the docks, the Nexus Key heavy in his grip. Its power interfered with his translocation, forcing him to run. Behind him, the sounds of battle echoed—metal clashing, gunfire ringing. He knew Ping had lost. He wasn't much of a fighter anyway.

The cold sea breeze hit his face as he ran, and for a brief moment, he thought of John—of the stories he used to tell when they were younger.

Of Atlantis beneath the sea, a beautiful kingdom.

It was from that tale that his dream of traveling the world was born.

Freedom was so close… yet so far away.

Gritting his teeth, Chris clutched the Nexus Key tighter. If not for its interference, he would have already teleported out of here.

Then, just as he reached the seaside, hoping to steal a boat, a sharp pain exploded in his leg and stomach. Blood gushed from his wounds.

Chris collapsed, barely able to hold onto the Nexus Key. His vision blurred as the old alchemist stepped into view, covered in blood, his haggard face twisted in desperation.

"You've made me chase you long enough. Give it to me."

Chris smirked weakly and lifted his middle finger.

"Come take it."

The old alchemist snarled, raising his hand. Metal coiled around his fingers, shaping into a gleaming blade. In a single motion, he drove it into Chris's gut.

Chris gritted his teeth, trying to kick him away, but the old man was faster, more experienced.

The sensation of death crept over him as the alchemist pried the Nexus Key from his bleeding body. His vision swam, and his grip weakened.

'God… why don't you care about us…?'

Atlantis flickered in his mind as darkness closed in. Summoning what little strength he had left, he activated his powers.

And suddenly, the world changed.

Day turned to night, and countless stars glowed overhead. Chris was too weak, too drenched in blood to tell if he was hallucinating.

The old alchemist froze, eyes widening.

"The presence of the divine… it's the God of Imperfection… answering someone's call."

At that moment, the Nexus Key pulsed with an eerie light, greedily absorbing the ambient energy in the air. Responding to Chris's will, it lifted into the sky, floating toward the sea.

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The alchemist lunged, grabbing onto Chris.

"What have you done?! What are you?! No… what did you wish for?!"

The Nexus Key shone even brighter. A shockwave erupted, sending them both flying.

A massive gate materialized over the water, seafoam spraying violently from its edges. For a brief moment, it stood there—imposing, ancient, otherworldly.

Then, in an instant, it vanished.

Along with the Nexus Key that had opened it.

The alchemist collapsed, unconscious from the sheer shock.

Chris lay bleeding, his vision dimming. His lips barely moved as he whispered:

"I… can't let you have it."

And then—

Everything went dark.