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"I\'m no longer part of the Grand Councilors; that\'s your job." Envy interjected, cutting off any attempt by Golden Scale to recruit her back. "Is there anything else?" she inquired.

"Yes, there is more," Golden Scale paused before continuing. "I\'m unaware of the details, but the Ashborn family is seeking vengeance against Daniel Emberweave. Since you\'ve chosen not to return to the Hightower, this matter is no longer my concern. North America will no longer be under Hightower jurisdiction.

Handle the situation as you see fit, but do not expose the secret of the Curtained World to the masses, or you\'ll gain the Hightower as an enemy," Golden Scale advised.

"You speak as if you have the power and influence to enforce your precious laws on us, Grand Councilor. But the fact that you admit the state of the Curtained World has regressed to pre-Second Black Plague conditions is proof that you\'re powerless," Greed retorted, her irritation evident at Golden Scale\'s arrogance.

Golden Scale turned toward Greed, a hint of anger spark within him at the truth she threw at him. However, he managed to restrain his emotions, mindful of Envy\'s presence and her intense gaze, silently warning him against any rash actions.

"Let me clarify something. The chaos in the Curtained World is the result of one man resisting The Hightower\'s law. We\'ve managed to control the chaos within manageable limits,"

He turned his attention to Envy, his voice adopting a disappointed yet stern tone.

"Ms. Envy... you, of all people, should understand the importance of Lord Merlin\'s legacy. Yet, by encouraging Mr. Emberweave\'s lawlessness and the unchecked activities of your witches, you\'ve desecrated the very foundation of that legacy. Mr.

Emberweave possesses knowledge of lost artifact creation, knowledge the Hightower desperately needs! Your misplaced loyalty to him prioritizes personal feelings over the greater good. Frankly, I\'m deeply disappointed in your actions."

Envy visibly tensed at the mention of Merlin\'s name, clenching her fists as she endured Golden Scale\'s harsh words.

"Grand Councilor Golden Scale, do you honestly expect Daniel to act all friendly to the people who are trying to kill him all those years? Let\'s not forget, Daniel is a natural awakened mage who never stepped foot in an academy; his knowledge comes from Lord Atlanteus.

Are you truly surprised that he doesn\'t conform to the typical mage mindset, driven solely by practicality and personal gain?" Greed interjected on behalf of Envy, recognizing Envy\'s residual attachment to the Hightower.

"Then, It\'s Ms. Envy\'s responsibility to educate Mr. Emberweave to our ways, given her close association with him. If he proves unteachable and unwilling to share his knowledge, she should seal him, then give him to us and allow us to extract the necessary information from his brain," Golden Scale stated matter-of-factly, showing no signs of emotional fluctuation.

"Have you listened to yourself, Golden Scale?" Greed dropped the \'Grand Councilor\' title, a clear sign of her lost respect. "This is why Daniel resisted the Hightower. No sane person would subject themselves to such unreasonable demands. The Hightower\'s failure isn\'t Aunt Envy\'s fault; it\'s yours, Cyrus\'s, and the group of your yes-man in the Path of Knowledge\'s!"

"What do you mean?" Golden Scale asked, his tone still neutral but it is clear that it has a hint of annoyance in it.

"Don\'t you see the pattern? There have been many Grand Councilors before you and Cyrus, yet the Hightower maintained its integrity for centuries. Sure, there were ups and downs, but never such a catastrophic failure.

It\'s failing now because you ignored Aunt Envy\'s advice and supported radical groups like The Path of Knowledge, thinking it would quickly boost mage societies\' advancement!" Greed paused, then continued her argument.

"In the business world, we wouldn\'t consider that smart; we\'d label it as shortsightedness and cutting corners. Sooner or later, these issues will resurface in the product, and the more you suppress them, the stronger they explode in your face! And in this case, your \'product\' is the mages, and nearly all of them share the same mindset as those in the Path of Knowledge!

Just look at what it has become!" Greed released her pent-up frustration to Golden Scale.

Golden Scale remained silent, seemingly unaffected or emotionally dulled by his unwavering commitment to the law. He stopped engaging with Greed and vanished into sparkling particles.

"So it\'s just a long-range communication spell; he\'s not physically here, huh? Coward," Greed muttered where Golden Scale had stood.

"No, he\'s actually here," Envy clarified. "He simply shifted into an immaterial state and returned to his anchor in the Hightower. I believe that if I accept his offer to rejoin the Hightower, he could assist us in handling the Ashborn family. Golden Scale might be enticed by the rapid advancement of mage societies, but he has never been one to resort to lies and deceit.

That\'s something he has never done."

"What are we going to do, Aunt Envy?" Greed asked, a strong feeling of impending trouble gripping her, especially on this night.

At that moment, a blinding blue light erupted in the sky above San Francisco Bay, momentarily turning night into day. Envy\'s gaze narrowed, instantly recognizing the spell\'s immense power. This was far beyond a mere illumination enchantment.

The intricate structure and sheer volume of mana far surpassed even the highest-level light spells by a thousandfold. A primal dread welled within her, a chilling echo of facing ancient, monstrous entities from a bygone era.

The light intensified to a blinding peak before a colossal shape plummeted from the heavens. "Damn it!" Envy cursed, her hands flying as she swiftly wove a protective barrier around the city. The spell was a desperate attempt to contain the impact and prevent a devastating tsunami.

A thunderous boom echoed as the ocean churned violently. Waves, whipped into a frenzy, crashed against Envy\'s shimmering shield, the earth itself trembling under the colossal force.

As the water receded, a monstrous form breached the surface. Its upper body resembled a breathtakingly beautiful woman, her long, black hair cascading down to conceal her bare chest. Yet, a horrifying being emerged from her back: six monstrous snake-like skulls, their eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence.

In place of legs, six serpentine creatures writhed, each tentacle-like appendage possessing a chilling autonomy, their movements echoing those of a deadly octopus.

The colossal monstrosity, radiating pure fury, lunged at the shield, its roars shaking the very foundations. The snake-heads pulsated with a malevolent light, spewing forth a torrent of acid and venom in a relentless assault.

Envy\'s breath hitched. "Scylla!?" she muttered, Envy muttered, realizing the gravity of the situation. She couldn\'t afford to stop supplying mana to the shield; if she did, Scylla would surely break through within minutes. However, she also couldn\'t leave her position, as the shield required her full concentration.

A whirlwind of questions flooded Envy\'s mind. Scylla, a creature of legend from a bygone era? In this world, starved of mana, how could it have survived, let alone survived until this modern day? There was clearly something more at play, something she didn\'t know. Regardless, reinforcements were essential.

Just then, Envy felt the telltale signature of another bounded field activating. This specific spell was designed to isolate an area, severing all communication and preventing any information from leaking from within and without.

Recording equipment within the field would be rendered useless, and those trapped inside would be cut off from the outside world along with those outside would not be able to recognize anything that happened here if they were to see it.

"Greed!" Envy barked, her voice sharp with urgency. "Get Koyuki! Only she has the firepower to handle this!" Greed remained rooted to the spot, momentarily stunned by the apocalyptic scene unfolding before her.

"Right!" Greed finally snapped out of it, sprinting down the stairs. Phones were useless – the bounded field disrupted all signals. Her only option was to drive back to the mansion.

But as Greed reached the street, pandemonium greeted her. People screamed, scrambling for cover amidst a scene of utter chaos. Traffic had ground to a halt, a cacophony of honking horns adding to the rising panic.

"Sh*t!" A frustrated curse ripped from Greed\'s lips. Though she acknowledged being the weakest of the Seven Deadly Sin witches, she wasn\'t helpless. Taking a deep breath, she forced down the panic.

Spying a motorcycle parked nearby, Greed made a split-second decision. With a flourish, she conjured a check, a million-dollar bill practically screaming from the paper. Thrusting it at the startled owner, she declared, "I\'m buying this! Thank you very much." Before the man could sputter a protest, Greed gently but firmly pushed him aside.

The man\'s initial outrage melted away as his eyes landed on the astronomical sum and the name signed on the check. "Oh! Thank you very much, Ms. Victoria!" he gushed, his entire demeanor doing a complete 180 degree turn.

Ignoring his profuse gratitude, Greed roared the engine to life. Muttering a quick enchantment, she enhanced the bike\'s capabilities. With a deafening vroom, she weaved through the gridlocked traffic, effortlessly maneuvering across car roofs like a seasoned daredevil. This was one thing she could truly be proud of. Her riding skills were undeniably impressive.