People always overestimated the degree of control they had over events, while overlooking the effects of other uncontrollable factors such as opportunity and luck. Yet in truth, opportunity and luck accounted for a large part of what determined success or failure.
This bias in judgment was known in psychology as the "illusion of control."
At this moment, Nikita had fallen prey to precisely that illusion.
She mistakenly believed she had the situation under control, assuming that with the strength of a top-tier Registered Wizard, she could effortlessly crush these young hunters before her.
But reality dealt her a heavy blow.
A truly heavy blow.
A talisman bullet wreathed in a faint bloody glow struck the Ninefold True Word protective barrier she had summoned. Without the slightest effort, it pierced through layer after layer of the barrier, as though someone were poking soap bubbles with a needle.
One smooth, continuous bullet hole after another appeared in the translucent golden barriers.
With each bullet hole that appeared, a barrier that looked like a small mountain, translucent throughout like yellow jade, shattered like glass struck by a train racing at full speed.
Fine amber-colored motes of light rained down from midair, fluttering everywhere and draping the dim tavern in a captivating, dreamlike glow.
Nine layers of barriers.
Nine small mountains.
Nine showers of glittering light.
All they did was slow the speeding talisman bullet by the slightest fraction and fade the bloody aura around it a little.
The banshee's fingers trembled slightly, and several deathly pale bone fragments flew from between them to meet the talisman bullet. These fragments were "ingredients" she had secretly pocketed while making soup for the captain in the kitchen of the Mist. They were said to be pieces of some Archwizard's rib, but in that kitchen, they had