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You use your powerful mental defences to shield yourself from this psychic assault. The pain in your skull rapidly fades, and the creature howls with frustration when it senses that you have effectively countered its mind attack.

With a petulant flick of its clawed limb, it signals to the nearest minions to close in and prevent your escape from the laboratory. To your dismay, you see that your route to the portcullised archway is now obstructed by a group of Agarashi minions. When they clumsily attempt to turn and aim a siege catapult and a two-wheeled field cannon towards your hiding place, you are suddenly struck by the icy realization that you must strike first if you are to have any chance of escaping from this laboratory alive.

You look at the creature on the platform and suddenly you notice that it is standing beside a stack of wooden kegs. Branded on these kegs in Drodarin script are two words: Blasting Powder.

If you possess a Bow and Magi-magic, and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian (or higher), turn to 259.

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 184.

If you possess Elementalism and wish to use it, turn to 278.

If you possess none of the above, or if you decide not to use any of them, turn instead to 45.