Blood-tinged Garden — 1

Coils of dark-red blood emerged from the shimmering tide, parting it in two. 

Vincentius braced himself with a lower stance, frowning as he glared at the silver-masked boy. "What kind of magecraft is this?" 

More importantly, that's not the firepower of an Occultist. He was among the participants, meaning he's not a Thaumaturge from the Neoteric Syndicate. Who is he?

"You countered that? Impressive," the boy said in a haughty tone. 

Vincentius snickered. "You're gravely mistaken if you think that spell was enough to beat me." 

This is troublesome, but I'll have to kill him first.

"Oh? That was merely the first step of an ongoing process. Layered plans are the keys to victory, after all." 

The moment the masked boy finished speaking, the blood sea stirred.