Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 408: Pursuit in Astellian Capital

Chapter 408: Pursuit in Astellian Capital

Lyan stood still before the captured figure bound in roots, his mind calculating the next step. He heard the hurried footsteps in the distance, and the distinct presence of someone fleeing — the leader, undoubtedly. The figure was moving fast, and Lyan could tell they were attempting to escape beyond reach. A small smile tugged at his lips, and he closed his eyes, focusing inwardly. He reached out to the spirit within him.

(Griselda, I’m borrowing your strength.)

The air around Lyan began to crackle, tiny sparks of electricity forming in the space between his fingers. A surge of lightning enveloped his body, blue streaks wrapping around his limbs and dancing over his skin. His hair rose slightly from the electric charge, and he felt his senses heighten. He could feel Griselda’s fierce spirit igniting within him, and her voice, sharp and confident, filled his mind.

(Don’t let the bastard go, Lyan!) (Griselda)

He smirked at her enthusiasm, letting the lightning flow into his legs, surging energy into his muscles. It was as if the world had slowed down around him, each second expanding as the lightning urged him to move. Without a second thought, Lyan dashed forward, his body a blur against the dark of the night.

The wind howled in his ears, the courtyard quickly disappearing behind him. Lyan could see the silhouette of the black-cloaked figure darting across the street, moving at an incredible speed. He squinted, noting the way the figure’s feet barely touched the ground—an artifact, he realized, recognizing the gusts of magical wind that seemed to propel the figure forward. They seemed to almost glide, the cloak billowing as they sped up. Lyan gritted his teeth, feeling a familiar sense of challenge rising within him.

The thrill of the hunt, amplified by the electricity coursing through his veins, drove him forward. He leaned into the wind, allowing the lightning in his legs to boost him further. His steps became flashes across the cobblestone path, the energy beneath his feet creating small arcs with each stride.

(Come on, Lyan, faster! You’re lightning itself now, don’t let some amateur with fancy boots outrun you!) (Griselda)

Griselda’s voice urged him on, the fierce excitement evident in her tone. Lyan focused on the target, narrowing his eyes as he pushed himself harder. He could feel the strain on his muscles, but it was a distant sensation, drowned out by the raw energy of the lightning. The cloaked figure glanced back, their eyes widening as they saw Lyan gaining on them, each stride eating up the distance between them.

The figure shifted, veering sharply to the left, down a narrow alley. Lyan followed without hesitation, his body moving almost instinctively, every sense heightened. He could see the glint of the artifact on the figure’s boots—they were glowing, pushing out gusts of wind to gain speed. The figure’s movement was erratic, desperate to shake Lyan off their trail, but Lyan stayed close, relentless.

The narrow alley opened up into a wider street, and the figure made a risky move, vaulting over a stack of crates in an attempt to create distance. Lyan’s eyes flashed, and he leaped after them, the lightning enhancing his jump as he cleared the crates effortlessly. He landed with barely a sound, his feet skimming across the cobblestone as he kept up the pursuit.

(This one’s persistent. Let’s see how long they can keep running.) (Griselda)

Lyan couldn’t help but grin at Griselda’s taunt, her confidence seeping into him. He was close now, close enough to see the tension in the figure’s shoulders, the frantic way they kept glancing back. They knew they were running out of options.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the chase, Wilhelmina had her eyes locked on another fleeing figure. She moved swiftly, her eyes sharp as she tracked the figure darting between dark corners. She could sense the magic they were using—a type of shadow teleportation, disappearing and reappearing between the shadows, trying to stay out of her reach. Wilhelmina wasn’t about to let that happen.

She enhanced her vision with her own magic, her eyes glowing faintly as she focused on the small shifts of darkness. She could see the subtle distortions, the way the shadows flickered just before the figure reappeared. It was a pattern, and Wilhelmina was nothing if not quick to adapt. She kept her breathing steady, waiting for the right moment. When the figure reappeared, she lunged forward, her combat aura flaring around her.

Josephine, on the other hand, was in hot pursuit of a cloaked figure wielding a wind shield. The figure used the shield to fling obstacles into her path—barrels, crates, anything they could find to slow her down. Josephine narrowed her eyes, her morningstar blazing with fire magic. She swung it with precision, each strike obliterating the obstacles in her way. Flaming debris scattered around her, but she barely noticed, her eyes locked on her target.

She raised her hand, forming a protective barrier as another gust of wind came her way, the force dispersing harmlessly against her magic. She then countered, her fingers glowing as she cast a binding spell. Ropes of light shot from her fingertips, wrapping around the figure’s legs. The figure stumbled, and Josephine closed the distance, her eyes calm but commanding.

Alice and Emilia worked in tandem, their targets trying to confuse them with illusion amulets. The two cloaked figures created multiple mirror images of themselves, each one darting in a different direction. Alice took a deep breath, activating her psychokinetic ability. She reached out with her mind, feeling for the real presence amidst the illusions. The air seemed to shimmer around her, and she could feel the distinct pressure of two real figures moving among the fakes.

"Left, Emilia. The real one’s on the left."

Emilia didn’t hesitate. She trusted Alice completely, her fiery aura flaring around her as she swung her greatsword in a sweeping arc, cutting through the illusions. Her sword connected with one of the real figures, the impact sending them sprawling. Alice moved quickly, her magic guiding her sword as she dealt with the second figure, binding them in place with enchanted ropes.

Surena had her eyes set on a figure with levitation abilities. The cloaked figure hovered just above the ground, avoiding obstacles effortlessly as they moved. Surena, however, wasn’t far behind. She used her wind magic to propel herself forward, her eyes calculating the best angle to strike. She watched the figure’s movements, noting the slight waver in their balance each time they adjusted their levitation. It was a weakness, and she intended to exploit it.

Surena raised her hand, creating concentrated air currents. She aimed carefully, sending the gusts towards the figure. The wind hit its mark, knocking the figure off balance. They wavered, their control slipping, and Surena seized the opportunity. She moved in, her blade slicing through the air as she forced the figure down, their levitation failing as they crashed to the ground.

Before the figure could recover, Surena was already upon them, her blade pointed at their throat. Her expression was cold, unyielding. "It’s over," she said, her voice carrying a steely edge. She didn’t wait for a response, her wind magic wrapping around the figure, tying them up securely. She glanced around, her eyes scanning the dark streets before her lips quirked into a small, satisfied smile.

"I wonder... did Lyan catch the leader?"

Lyan, meanwhile, was closing in on his own target. The leader of the cloaked figures, realizing that Lyan was almost upon them, reached into their cloak, pulling out an artifact. It was a Stormstone. Lyan’s eyes widened as he saw the glowing stone, a pulse of energy radiating outwards. In an instant, a storm-like burst of wind and lightning exploded from the artifact, the force slamming into Lyan with full intensity.

The electric energy surged towards him, but Lyan was ready. He channeled Griselda’s power, the lightning around him flaring as he redirected the energy, sending it harmlessly into the sky. The wind, however, was harder to counter. It pushed him back, his feet skidding against the ground as he struggled to maintain his balance. He felt the rough cobblestones beneath his boots as he came to a stop, the storm dissipating around him.

(That was close, but we’re not done yet!) (Griselda)

Griselda’s voice was fierce, and Lyan could feel her determination matching his own. He steadied himself, his eyes locking onto the cloaked figure darting into a narrow alleyway. The leader was trying to lose him in the tight space, hoping the narrow paths would slow him down.

Lyan gritted his teeth, his body once again enveloped in lightning. He dashed forward, his steps almost gliding over the cobblestones as he pushed through the alley. He wouldn’t let them escape—not after everything they’d done.

Up ahead, Wilhelmina finally managed to predict her target’s teleportation pattern. She saw the faint shimmer in the shadow, and she lunged forward just as the figure reappeared. Her combat aura flared, her rapier poised and ready. She tackled the figure, pinning them against the ground, her rapier pointed at their neck.

The cloaked figure struggled, trying to activate another artifact, but Wilhelmina was quicker. She grabbed their wrist, twisting it and disarming them. Her eyes were cold, unwavering. "No more tricks," she said, her voice low and firm.

Josephine, keeping up with her target, watched as the figure tried one last time to throw a wind blast in her direction. She raised her hand, forming a protective barrier that absorbed the impact. Without missing a beat, she countered with a binding spell, ropes of light wrapping around the figure’s legs. They fell, and Josephine approached, her expression calm but commanding. "You’re done running," she said simply.

Surena, after knocking her target out of the sky, wasted no time. She used her wind magic to bind them, the air currents wrapping around their body and holding them in place. The figure struggled briefly, but it was clear they were outmatched. Surena looked down at them, her expression one of cold satisfaction. She took a deep breath, her eyes glancing towards the distant alleyway where Lyan had chased the leader.

"I wonder," she murmured to herself, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Did Lyan catch the leader?"

The night was far from over, and there were still answers they needed to find.