"Frontflow."

Time around me drastically slows down, as I become sixty times faster than the world.

I initially wanted to save my Conception for Tracing, in case I need to escape, but it has become abundantly clear that I won't be able to take down this fortress without using Frontflow.

How has it become clear?

Well, an hour ago, I used Clairvoyance to scour the entire fortress, getting a good understanding of the layout. It didn't strain my mind as much as I feared it would, thanks to the Clear Mind Potion working alongside the two others.

It also helps that the fortress is right in front of me, not further away.

Now having a basic understanding of the layout of this place, I feel better prepared to initiate an attack. Of course, there could still be hidden traps or secret rooms that I couldn't detect, but for the most part, thanks to my Aego Sight, very little can escape my perception.

I even overheard some conversations from the guards, so I already know about their shifts and rotation. Taking over this fortress shouldn't be too difficult, given what I know.

But—

'Using Frontflow to replace my Hour Layer with my Day Layer would give me twenty-four hours encapsulated in an hour. That would be enough to kill all of these people. But, I don't simply want to kill. I require information. Since I can't turn off my Frontflow Conception midway, at least not yet, it would be inconvenient if I were moving twenty-four times faster than everyone else. How would I be able to even communicate with them?' I sigh internally.

If I chose to simply kill most of them and capture a few to investigate later, how would I know which ones have the information I need? Also, the Day Layer is my limit. After I use it, the cooldown needed is immense. I'll be extremely vulnerable in that moment. If time starts flowing normally, and my enemies have a few trump cards I wasn't expecting, how would I be able to fight back? Being in enemy territory at that point would be my downfall.

Because of all these hassles involved, I've decided to split my Conception activation into multiple periods.

I'll swap my Minute Layer with my Hour Layer, giving me sixty minutes encapsulated in a single one. This will allow me to take down certain portions of the fortress at a time.

After taking that portion down, I'll relax and wait out the cooldown before activating it again.

Thankfully, the cooldown is only about fifteen minutes.

I can manage that.

'Let's go!'

Refusing to waste any further precious time, I initiate my assault on the dark castle.

My first obstacle is the heavily armed guards who stand right in front of the fortress gates.

Hmph!

Small fries!

Regardless of the Grade of their Armaments or combat skills, they're as good as powerless when all I see are statues that can barely move.

I'm sixty times faster than the world! These men are too slow for me!

WHOOSH!

I cut them down in a flash, watching as their lifeless bodies still stand in front of the gates as though they're still alive. Even though I sliced their necks, it appears as though they still have their heads intact.

If not for the thin line that shows the severed link, no one would suspect a thing.

I don't waste any time on them and simply open the gates so I can barge in uninterrupted. After, I proceed to the immediate right wing to ensure none of the watchers there don't alert the rest of the Guild members to my intrusion.

It's as easy as swinging my blade and cutting through motionless targets. Even a toddler wouldn't have much difficulty in this fight—if I can even call it one.

Once I finish eliminating the immediate right wing, I go to the left wing and also kill everyone present, taking down communications as well as the internal barriers that may exist as I advance into the fortress.

Although I am much faster than everyone else at the moment, I'm not invincible.

I have my limitations.

Even Zarius, no matter how many times he used Frontflow, could not escape the trap I set before him. That means it doesn't matter how fast I am. If I am trapped in a box, then I won't be able to leave it.

That's why I have to eliminate these traps preemptively, so that my escape is guaranteed at the very least.

None of these barriers affects Tracing, but if I wish to switch to that Conception, I'd need an hour.

Since that isn't an option, Frontflow is all I have at the moment.

'Thankfully, I scouted this place with Clairvoyance. If I didn't, and ended up ignoring these guys, they would not only alert the entire fortress to my presence, but they would also seal the fortress down, making it difficult for me to escape.'

Aego Sight is useful, but it isn't the end-all, be-all.

I can't see Armaments that are buried or obscured from my normal vision. If an Armament is hidden in a box, I'll only be able to see the box as an undefined existence, and not the hidden Armament.

This is likely why Zarius couldn't notice all the traps I set for him during our final confrontation.

They were all buried underground.

As for how I was able to locate the Armaments of the Dark Guild, it's simply because they were exposed. It's understandable, since the Armaments themselves have hidden features that prevent others from detecting them.

Because of this, there was no need to keep them buried to begin with.

How fortunate for me…

'But I also have to be careful here. If there are hidden Armaments or traps, then my Aego Sight and Clairvoyance wouldn't be able to detect them…' After taking down both wings, I decide to rest a little, taking twenty minutes off as a break.

Because I have cut off communications, no one inside should know about what has gone on outside—especially since I only took a minute in real-time to do everything.

Fifteen minutes is the bare minimum for recovering my Frontflow Conception, but I waited an additional five minutes so I would be in top form and wouldn't feel too strained. Since there's no need to rush yet, I can take a little extra time as a precaution.

With the twenty minutes exhausted, I return to my task, once again activating Frontflow and charging into the main body of the fortress.

All this time, I've only been at the periphery—the entrance region.

Now, the real action begins.

'I wonder… How many breaks will I have to take before this whole place is conquered by me!'

**************

[Three Hours Later]

Three hours of real time have passed, and I have finally taken down everyone.

It would have been shorter if I simply annihilated the soldiers, but I took my time interrogating a few people—particularly the ones who looked particularly strong or important. Of course, I completely stripped them naked before proceeding with questioning.

Not everyone cooperated, after all, they would die if they did so, but a few did after I threatened them with unimaginable pain before death.

Because of this, I found something a little interesting.

This place is indeed the Headquarters, and it is run by a group of six incredibly powerful individuals. Everyone in this base fears them, and it so turns out that they are all currently in Headquarters, having a secret meeting of some sort.

This is a good thing.

They're called the Sixfold Helm of Darkness, and if there is anyone present who can answer my questions appropriately, it will be among these people.

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