Book 10 Chapter 18
Chapter 243
“Oh my, isn’t this <Shuriganakus>? What in the world happened?”
The moment I first confronted him.
Yes, strictly speaking, it wasn’t the first time, but a strange realization flashed through Rain’s mind.
Perhaps.
Perhaps I.
…was revived to defeat this guy.
A sorrow impossible to express in human language, a grief irreversible by anything, pierced his heart.
The unattainable daydream, the future where he would have celebrated the end of the journey, laughing and chatting with his comrades, had vanished because of that guy.
Did Shirpan and Serwebon feel a similar tremor? The holy sword and the famed bow cried out more fiercely than ever, spewing out powerful energy.
“Drunken Archer Style 17, Thread-Piercing Drill!”
“Space-Time Annihilation!”
“Annihilating Fire Exploding Cannon!”
A feast of absolute powers that sliced, pierced, and burned the sky. Zernix's figure should have been completely engulfed in the explosion.
Yes, it would have been good if their long-standing ill fate had ended right there.
But the three powers, capable of even devastating an entire area… failed to annihilate their target.
They simply vanished as if sucked into another dimension, without even causing an explosion.
‘That power…?!’
It’s similar to Celesia, no, looking at the mathematical array, it’s exactly the same.
Rain’s mouth twitched.
Come to think of it, Ryuken said in Ryuken Ludwig's memories that Zernix was the one who gave him Celesia as a gift.
“Hmm, hmm-hmm, yes, yesyesyes! I understand exactly what just happened with this genius brain of mine!”
Immediately after sending the ultimate attacks to another dimension, Zernix’s face, looking down at the group, was overflowing with composure.
“I didn’t know you could handle space-time magic so well.”
That relaxed attitude suggested the extent of his power. In fact, there was no need to guess.
“No, that’s strange. If you know it, why can you only use Bell Querias in such a way?”
Because the dimensional rift that had absorbed the power reopened, returning it right back to them, exactly as it had come.
“Actually, this kind senior was going to give you, who worked so hard, a gift. Time to make happy memories with that little dragon one last time.”
Amidst the roar of the reflected attack violently overturning the suspension bridge, Zernix sneered.
“Isn’t this a bit disrespectful to such a kind senior? What if I were rolling around with a beautiful woman? What if I were taking a dump? How embarrassed would I be right now? It’s truly disappointing.”
“Shut up.”
“This damn brat, where did you trade your respect for your great senior for──”
“──Shut your mouth! I’ll settle this here and now. Come down!”
“Hmph, heh, hmph-heh-heh-heh-heh, so you want to fight me that badly, do you? Alright, you fool, I won’t stop you then. But a stage announcing the dawn of my, Zernix’s, era shouldn’t be so humble.”
It was that one moment.
Without any premonition, without even a chance to read it with Bell Querias and react, a massive dimensional rift opened. At the feet of the group standing on the suspension bridge.
Without any time to exchange words with their comrades, the group was sucked into another dimension.
“Alright then, let’s have some fun. On the stage I prepared for you.”
* * *
When the sensation of weightlessness that enveloped his entire body ended, his mind became hazy.
His sensory organs couldn’t process the change in his surroundings.
All five senses changed in an instant.
The world reflected in his eyes was no longer a land where volcanic heat miraculously boiled up.
Something even hotter than that, the powerful geothermal heat of the ground, made his booted feet instantly fill with sweat.
“This is…”
A desert city where sandstorms swept across the desolate ground.
Rain had come here 300 years ago. But even now, 300 years later, it was just as desolate as it was back then…
There were some things that had changed since those days.
First, a grand lighthouse soaring from the coastline, and a statue of Rista Party erected in the middle of the plaza.
[Abba, it’s e-e-evil!]
Setsunon’s warning was heard.
The others seemed to have been summoned to different places, but the fact that Setsunon was with him provided no small comfort.
Where Setsunon’s warning pointed, stood a figure that was quite familiar, and equally perplexing because of that familiarity.
“Yes, it’s the Yellow City, <Raptas>.”
Aristocratic black hair and blood-red eyes that instinctively made him feel kinship as one of the same bloodline.
A fierce demonic energy emanated from the long demonic blade (妖刀) hanging at his waist. The name of that sword was clearly Manabein.
This guy… isn't this Mage Slayer from the Slayers? I thought I killed him?
“Surprising, isn’t it? Doesn’t your respect for this great senior just gush forth, considering I dimension-shifted you such a long distance? Of course, I don’t give autographs or handshakes to filthy men.”
“Just shut your mouth. What exactly is that body?”
“This kind Archmage Zernix saved him when he was sinking into the sea and dying alone, you see. Because he’s useful.”
Did he judge that Bell Sidius was necessary to counter Bell Querias?
“It’s disgusting. Another puppet?”
“This great senior is a man who’s shyer than you’d think, you see. I’m not ready to meet you yet.”
As Mage Slayer slowly drew the demonic blade from his waist, a sinister aura swirled around the blade, howling.
“But don’t worry. You’ll meet me soon enough.”
In Mage Slayer’s red eyes, a pure white flower bloomed with four petals.
In the utterly deserted city, a broken cactus rolled between the feet of the two archmages.
Petals also bloomed in Rain Ludwig’s eyes, facing Mage Slayer. Seven petals, three more.
The world reflected in the minds of the two archmages was a binary world composed of 0s and 1s.
“Let me give you one piece of advice: it would be best not to let your guard down. This body doesn’t just possess Bell Sidius.”
From Mage Slayer’s blade, as he took a battle stance, a more intense demonic energy surged.
“Why? Because I now possess the lingering soul of the Dragon Slayer.”
In response, from Rain’s hand as he took his stance, the stone staff spewed fierce flames.
“In other words, I can imitate that monster’s swordsmanship to some extent!”
And finally, the demonic blade and the stone staff clashed, stirring up a massive storm.
“Hyaa!”
In that instant clash, Manabein’s blade sliced Rain’s limbs and left two fresh cuts on his face.
“Actually, if this guy had the talent to awaken Bell Querias, I wouldn’t have any business with you!”
It wasn’t that his close-combat skills were lacking. It was simply that his compatibility with Manabein, which could pass through the stone staff, was extremely poor.
“But Bell Querias isn’t something you can awaken through effort. It’s only possible if you’re born with such a body!”
I should avoid close combat.
His skill in combining Bell Sidius and Manabein is several times superior to Mage Slayer’s…
Watching Rain move out of the sword’s range, Mage Slayer chuckled.
“You cute little thing, do you really think you can win if it’s not close combat? Then go ahead and try. I’ll pay you back double.”
The moment the magic circle of Thunder Palm Bloody Array was constructed on Rain’s palm, the exact same magic circle appeared on both of Zernix’s palms.
‘Double casting of a 5-star spell…?’
His mouth twitched uncontrollably. Even I need a considerable amount of time to use two 5-star spells simultaneously.
‘And copying my main technique right here, right now.’
It was clear, even without seeing it, that he would be at a disadvantage in a simple firepower battle using 5-star magic.
In that case… instead of breaking the magic circle of Thunder Palm Bloody Array, he kicked himself backward a great distance while simultaneously throwing his stone staff.
The moment Manabein tried to strike down the stone staff, its mathematical formula was completely altered.
“Ooh!”
With a fierce explosion, the flames of karma engulfed him, but as expected, he handled space-time magic freely, and the flames were sucked into another dimension.
“It truly makes me sad when I see exceptional talent like yours.”
It doesn’t matter though.
It was a diversion to begin with.
“How pitiful are those born without talent? They are insignificant. Because they are assigned low numbers from birth.”
A transcendent power that can only be used by sacrificing lifespan, this power, which overlays one’s mental image onto a corner of providence, is called ‘Visionary Transformation’.
“Just as 1 cannot become 2 by itself, no matter what it does, humans are destined for their noble or humble status from birth.”
Rain forming the final hand seal, 'Ru' (壘), and Mage Slayer charging forward with Manabein’s blade tip leading, happened almost simultaneously.
Hwa (火 : Flame).
Chuk (築 : Building).
Myo (渺 : Distant).
Seong (晟 : Bright).
San (山 : Mountain).
Cheon (天 : Sky).
Ji (地 : Earth).
Yeong (映 : Jade-colored).
Gyeong (鏡 : Mirror).
Jeon (展 : Spreading).
Ru (壘 : Stacking).
Overlapping the desolate landscape of <Raptas>, the Red Mountain Range, the nostalgic homeland that the ancient True Dragon longed for in its heart.
“!”
With just a glance, Mage Slayer’s body was engulfed in dazzling flames.
This was a space of providence newly created by the caster; everything within this space would be under the caster’s control.
Bell Querias would now be able to affect not only supernatural abilities but also physical reality.
‘No, what is this now?’
He couldn’t read it with Bell Sidius.
Isn’t it constructed with mathematical formulas? It looks more like a type of sorcery than magic. How did he change the 'vision' itself?
An explosion of flames with at least 5-star power relentlessly pursued him.
‘So, defeating that cunning Elamas wasn’t just luck after all.’
For the first time, cold sweat beaded on Zernix’s forehead.
What kind of calculation was being performed, if any at all? There wasn’t even time to suck it into another dimension.
For now, the activation condition for this power seems to be eye contact. Is it an enhanced version of Bell Querias? If so, I have a method too.
“……!”
As soon as Zernix was about to pull out a new trick, the rampage of flames stopped as if by a lie.
It wasn’t a type of power that forcibly controlled or reflected the flames.
Just countless people…
Soldiers holding spears, witches with brooms, children, women, and strong men.
“You can see they’re all still breathing, can’t you?”
Everyone, with unfocused eyes, struggled and blocked the space between Zernix and Rain. It controlled Bell Querias’s gaze.
“What will you do? Will you burn them to death with your own hands?”
Clang, Mage Slayer draped Manabein over his shoulder and smiled leisurely.
“A true mage would naturally do so, wouldn’t they? Judging rationally, I mean. Don’t disappoint me, kiddo.”
* * *
“This way!”
Miria, fortunately, was with Aki when they were teleported to the Yellow City.
Miria, guided by Aki through the city which was not just gloomy but almost desolate, had no choice but to stop in her tracks the next moment.
It was a dark blue flame, an abyssal barrier that did not allow unauthorized beings to enter.
“What is this flame?”
If it had been an ordinary flame, Aki, who as a Red Dragon possessed strong resistance to fire, would have easily entered it…
She considered dispersing it with Space-Time Annihilation, but it was right to save its uses for truly necessary moments.
Even if she dispersed it, since it was fire, a path would open only for a very brief moment, and it would surely close again before Miria had a chance to squeeze in.
“Aki, are you sure Rain is in here?”
Aki nodded furiously, yet looked at the barrier worriedly.
‘Rain is in here…’
Alone with that monster?
How long can he last alone? I need to help him quickly.
Just as she was about to carefully reach out her hand, a voice of dissuasion was heard.
“You shouldn’t touch it carelessly. That’s likely the True Dragon’s flame.”
The person who appeared behind Miria was a witch wearing Friede’s robes.
“You are…”
“We’ve met before as a clone, haven’t we? My name is Sacelin, and Master Friede used to call me Sirin as a nickname.”
Those clothes…
Is she really Friede’s disciple?
But now there was no time or mental composure to ask such questions.
“But what do you mean, True Dragon’s flame? How do you know?”
“Look at that lighthouse. That’s Phyraus’s Lighthouse, a lighthouse that the Red True Dragon Phyraus asked to be built from his own remains.”
That memory faintly remained somewhere among the memories passed on from Rista.
In the battle to retake <Raptas> 300 years ago, the Red True Dragon Phyraus had died in battle after reclaiming the city…
Indeed, as she raised her head, a dragon’s eye floating above the lighthouse looked down upon the plaza. That had become the barrier.
“I remember. Phyraus… said he would guard against the abyss even in death. So those eyes were meant to burn the demons crossing the sea, weren’t they?”
“In times like this, hmm, although it’s hard to believe, it’s correct to assume the worst-case scenario and judge. It can only mean that Lord Phyraus has fallen to the abyss and is helping that man from earlier…”
“That’s ridiculous.”
At that moment, Pipi, whom Aki was holding in both hands, painfully gasped. The wounds received from Puladon were deep.
“Give her to me. I’ll heal her.”
Aki hesitated for a moment but, seeing Miria’s nod, handed Pipi over.
As Sirin gently held Pipi and recited a healing spell, Miria spoke.
“Then what should we do? To help Rain, do we have to break that lighthouse?”
“At this point, probably…”
Even after hearing that, Miria couldn’t help but hesitate.
How was that lighthouse built, and we’re supposed to destroy it?
If so, how vulnerable would not only <Raptas> but the entire southern part of the Adrion Continent become to coastal attacks…?
“He’s calling.”
At that moment, Aki suddenly stared at the lighthouse as if possessed. Clenching her fists tightly in front of her chest.
“He is calling Aki.”
“What? Aki? Aki!”
Miria desperately chased after Aki, who suddenly ran towards the lighthouse.
Only Sirin and Pipi remained in front of the barrier surrounding the plaza.
To Pipi, whose breathing was gradually fading, Sirin lowered her voice as if sharing a precious secret.
“The scar on your forehead hidden by fur, you truly are Pipi. Master Friede was always so excited whenever she talked about you… I really wanted to meet you.”
“Friede, Friede, Friede…”
“Don’t lose consciousness. Don’t give up on life. You’ll be able to meet her again soon. You’ve waited 200 years. Just a little longer. Just a little more now.”