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"No. I can\'t risk it. Not when I have the chance to end this now."

The winged salamander perched on his shoulder, as if backing his words.

"Besides, the earth deposit has a time limit too," he added, his voice softer, "what if these emblems are a trap from the Goddess? If letting time pass without killing the earth king has consequences we can\'t foresee?"

Lucien studied Elio at length, the frog on his head croaking softly. Finally, he sighed.

"Alright," he yielded, though concern didn\'t leave his face. "But Selene and I will stay on the bridge with our best soldiers. You won\'t do this alone."

"Lucien..."

"It\'s not negotiable," the Summoner\'s tone left no room for discussion. "If you\'re going to do this madness, at least you\'ll have backup."

Elio nodded slowly. It wasn\'t what he had planned, didn\'t believe Lucien or Selene could keep up with his speed too well, but maybe... maybe it was better this way.

"Now," Lucien turned toward the growing structure, "let\'s finish this bridge before the monster arrives and you do something even more stupid."

♢♢♢♢

The wind caressed its wings as it flew over the walled city.

From this height, the parasites seemed so insignificant, moving like ants within their white prison.

The Artromus enjoyed these surveillance rounds; they allowed it to contemplate the pathetic existence of these creatures who dared defy the Goddess.

An irregular flash interrupted its flight.

Something stained the wall\'s perfect whiteness, a black structure that rose where there should only be immaculate purity. Its eyes, pools of infinite darkness, narrowed at this aberration.

\'What are these miserable ones doing now?\'

Adjusting its wing angle, the Artromus descended in an elegant spiral. The black structure took shape as it approached: towers of some black material that dared rise beyond the barrier, connected by a bridge extending over one of the divine punishment towers.

A humorless laugh erupted from its throat. \'Do they think they can create their own punishment towers or something like that?\'

Did these parasites really believe they could replicate a God\'s creations?

True, their god was infinitely inferior to the Goddess, but still... He was a God.

The arrogance of these creatures never ceased to amaze it.

While descending to the wall\'s level, a figure caught its attention. Its wings tensed slightly upon recognizing him.

Elio.

The boy had been absent from its observations lately. While Selene and Lucien maintained their predictable routine on the wall, supervising defenses and distributing orders, the young man had disappeared from its sight.

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\'Interesting,\' thought the Artromus, its wings keeping it static in the air while observing.

The boy\'s absence had been... concerning.

Without him prowling the wall, it thought perhaps the book\'s level 10 had managed to eliminate the only level 9 human it knew of. Seeing him was good, perhaps it would have its chance...

\'At least,\' the Artromus thought with certain satisfaction, \'it means the level 9 human is still mine to eliminate.\'

But how to get him out of there?

It didn\'t need another disappointment like last time.

Its eyes scanned the scene unfolding before it. The builders worked frenetically on the towers, their movements revealing a nervousness that was almost entertaining.

What did they think they would achieve with this pathetic imitation of divine architecture?

Elio\'s presence, however... there was something different about him. The Artromus could sense it, a subtle but undeniable change.

What had he been doing during his absence?

It was time to discover what new foolishness these parasites were planning.

♢♢♢♢

The first alarm cry came from one of the youngest builders.

The Artromus\'s figure projected a shadow of fear impossible for them to ignore, and panic began to spread like a wave among the workers.

"The barrier protects us!" Elio\'s voice cut through the growing fear. "We\'re safe in here! Finish the last sections!"

Without waiting for a response, his hands found the first handholds of the carbon structure. His movements were fluid, precise, each impulse taking him higher toward the bridge that crowned the construction.

"Follow him!" Lucien ordered his soldiers, who began their own ascent after Elio.

But Elio\'s speed was something else. Where soldiers needed to search for secure footholds, he seemed to flow upward, as if gravity was a mere suggestion.

The bridge they had built was a work of precise engineering: strategically positioned hollow sections within the barrier\'s limit, offering refuge while allowing dangerous proximity to the exterior.

Elio slid into one of these sections, his breathing controlled while the builders, visibly trembling, completed the last parts of the wall from the interior\'s safety.

Selene and Lucien reached the bridge, their soldiers taking positions while the Artromus floated on the other side of the barrier. The tension in the air was palpable.

The Artromus observed all this with an almost predatory curiosity. Its black eyes followed each of Elio\'s movements, noticing how the young man seemed to deliberately seek the closest possible position to the barrier.

\'Ah,\' thought the Artromus, its wings adjusting to keep it static in the air. \'The little human wants to play.\'

With a graceful movement, the wind being positioned itself exactly on the other side of the barrier, so close that only a few centimeters and the divine energy field separated its face from Elio\'s.

It was like a distorted mirror: the young human in his carbon refuge, the powerful Artromus floating freely in the air. Predator and prey, separated by a thin line of divine power.

"What a boring view," Elio commented casually, as if chatting about the weather. "Must be very boring circling all day. Don\'t you get tired of being a useless watchman?"

The Artromus tilted its head slightly, more amused than offended. "Your attempt at conversation is... peculiar."

"I was just thinking," Elio continued, leaning against the carbon structure, "that for a supposedly powerful and superior creature, you spend a lot of time doing mundane tasks. Like any common worker."

A guttural laugh escaped from the Artromus. "I see, the parasites try to provoke with words when they lack real power."

The Artromus barely blinked, its black eyes reflecting amusement. "The words of a parasite mean little."

"You know what\'s really funny?" Elio smiled, but his eyes remained cold. "That your goddess needs to send lackeys to buy time. Are you so weak that you can\'t face us directly?"

The amusement on the Artromus\'s face faltered.

"And your queen," Elio continued, his voice dripping venom, "hidden in her city, trembling with fear while waiting for you to do the work. Pretty pathetic, don\'t you think?"

"Enough parasite, you..."

"Parasite?" Elio let out a short laugh. "At least I\'m not the one wasting time following orders from a coward queen and an incompetent goddess."

The amusement in the Artromus\'s eyes evaporated, replaced by something darker, more dangerous.

"Watch your tongue, little human," it growled, its extended wings projecting a threatening shadow.

"Or what?" Elio leaned closer to the barrier, his eyes shining with defiance. "Are you sure you want to fight me? Because I have a debt to collect, and your head will serve perfectly to settle it. My friend\'s head was quite smaller, but I\'ll consider the size difference as accumulated interest."

The Artromus emitted a sound between laugh and growl. "You think I need to flee from an insignificant creature like you?"

"Then promise it," Elio smiled, an expression that didn\'t reach his eyes. "Promise you won\'t flee when I come out to collect your head as payment. Unless... you\'re afraid?"

The provocation finally hit its mark.

The Artromus drew itself up to its full height, its voice resonating with power and disdain.

"I don\'t need promises to face an insect. But if you desire it so much: I promise I won\'t flee from your pathetic attempt at revenge."

Elio\'s smile widened, transforming into something dangerous, something predatory.

"Perfect."

And then, to the horror of all present...