Book 21 Chapter 22
Episode 212
To the Land of Decisive Battle!
The City of Beginnings and Endings, The Decisive Battle of Laptas (16)
'For a wizard, magic is their lifeline.'
The amount of magic remaining dictates what can be done in combat, extremely subdivided.
However, the plan to annihilate the entirety of <Laptas> by expending half of his magic has utterly gone awry.
'The magic I, Zernix, can use is almost infinite after devouring a fragment of Neigalath… that 50% is on a different level from ordinary wizards.'
But that kid…
How dare they wound the pride of I, Zernix…
"Hah, of course, that's all it amounts to. The one standing at the end is the victor! The one who endures until the very end is the strongest! Behold! My fiery power, having absorbed a fragment of the King! To have died trying to stop that power is proof that you are beneath I, Zernix!"
Zernix pointed arrogantly at each of the survivors staring up at him in despair, and laughed.
"The two threatening True Dragons are in tatters, and that brat Shasa, or the Platinum girl, or the bald ronin, were never even worthy opponents for I, Zernix, mere existences outside of my main force… So what's the conclusion?"
His finger's sweep then stopped at one spot.
The young Archmage, eternally bound in an icy chill, as the price for protecting everyone here.
Those gathered around him… the Hero's party!
"It means if I just deal with you three, it's all over. Ah, the descendants of the <Ones Who Came>, who are practically useless, I'll give them a slight bonus in terms of bloodline and calculate them as 0.1 of a person. So it's 1 versus 3.1!"
Yes, there's absolutely nothing difficult.
The Hero girl can only occasionally break this parallel boundary with her intuition.
If I can prevent the Priestess from reciting her hymns, she won't be able to make a single scratch on my body, and the Archer is the most trivial since she can't even pierce the boundary at all.
"Arcane Art, Elemental Deployment (奧義 : 元素展開)."
With his hands clasped together, Zernix formed a forbidden mudra, and behind him, a compass unfurled in a deep cerulean hue of the abyss.
It was the Elemental Compass (羅針)!
Runes representing the four great elements were arranged at the top, bottom, left, and right, and between them, runes of the four minor elements were placed, giving the form itself an artistic quality.
'What is that power…?'
Mutian Ryuminique, standing guard over the Hero's party, sensed a fear that sent shivers down his spine.
'A terror that easily surpasses all the spell formations I've seen so far…'
Paladin Riven, battered and bruised from fighting hordes of demons and reptilians, felt a similar sensation.
'Like being able to estimate an opponent's weight just by hearing their footsteps, can I glimpse that power…?'
Rings of Fire (火), Poison (毒), and Iron (鐵) were absorbed into the center of the Elemental Compass and merged.
5-star, Fire Dust Crushing Powder (火塵裂粉).
There was no need to arrange magic circles or runes… only eight fundamental runes were used. The calculation was complete just by figuring out the mathematical formula resulting from their combination.
"W-What… How? Did anyone just see that bastard's movements before he cast the spell…?"
"N-No… I was definitely watching, but the moment I blinked…!"
"That's definitely not some kind of ultra-high-speed computation…!"
Yes, yes…!
What a wonderful resonance…!
The reason Zernix didn't instantly unleash his magic but held back his hand was precisely to enjoy such reactions.
"I'll finish all three of you in one blow!
I am the strongest wizard, Zernix!
"Don't you worry at all!"
Originally, even in extreme plays, to elevate the protagonist, there need to be minor characters who expound on the protagonist's strength and greatness as if reading from a script.
"That arrogant brat trapped in the ice like a caught mouse will also be sent off in one blow to keep him from being lonely!"
Shasa Shimian of the Nomads immediately tried to erect a barrier, but his body, already pushed to its limit, began to bleed, disrupting his connection with the heavens.
"Shut your mouth."
At that moment, a blade-like killing intent (殺氣) that terrifyingly cut through the entire area, no, the very concept of space-time itself.
Truly, a spine-chilling murderous intent (殺意)!
It was an eerie hostility (敵意) that made those who had known Lista Alter Schurphain for a long time mistake her voice for someone else's for a moment.
A Flash (一閃).
The flash of light spat out by the holy sword in the next instant became a giant blade, splitting the charging torrent of lava in two and instantly approaching the caster, Zernix.
"I admit it. It was a chilling blow…"
But that blade, that flash!
It could not overcome the repulsive force generated by the parallel lines of lava spread before Zernix and was blocked!
No, that wasn't all.
'T-This is…?'
The tip of the holy sword, which had been sucked into the concept of parallel lines beyond human sight, bounced back and rushed towards Lista.
'The spell of [Seven Souls]' Ice Mage, whom I fought with Rin back then?'
That's right.
Zernix was the leader of the [Seven Souls]!
There was nothing strange about it. All those spell formations originated from Zernix.
"Hahahahaha, it won't work now! Invincible! Nothing can pierce these parallel lines, enhanced by the authority of Neigalath!"
Grr-thump, clank… As Zernix burst into laughter, the Elemental Compass unfurled behind him, revealing a new formation of power.
Wind (風).
Fire (火).
It imbued the attribute of lava with qualities that swirled like wind and raged like flames.
"…!"
Could lava, a substance, possess such delicate qualities?
'This is magic, but it's not magic. Is he subdividing lava into the eight attributes of magic and using only their specific characteristics?'
It was impossible to completely defend against the momentarily rampaging lava; Lista had to abandon even the critical interval and switch to evasive maneuvers.
"Now I know! I, Zernix, am superior to all three of you combined, from the absolute quantity of magic to speed and precision!"
Even Lista's speed was equaled by the pursuing lava, truly a fragment of calamity (災厄).
"Now, you must have understood thoroughly, to your satisfaction? You are no longer needed! Experiments with power can be gradually done with other small fries! Die!"
As the city, barely restored through countless sacrifices, was once again being scorched by the King's lava…
An even greater tremor…
An even greater cry…
Erupted from the mouths of those surrounding the 11th Archmage, Rin.
"Rin, wake up… How can you sleep there…?"
Leonia impotently pounded the ice with her fists, and the lionesses even gnawed at it.
"Wake up, Rin… You promised Link! To teach the children! Link is here! Link's original form is here!"
Nils also pounded the ice with a wrench, but not a single crack appeared on its surface… and there was no change in Rin's sleeping expression inside.
"No, you can't. You can't break the ice! Then Rin will die!"
Shuan shouted.
He could peer into the texture of an opponent's soul without physical contact.
Rin's soul was currently in a fierce confrontation between the healing effects of the 'All Beings, Little Worlds, Great Revolutions' and the King's Abyss.
'As her body entered a state of cryogenic sleep… the speed at which the King's Abyss was encroaching also slowed significantly, but this way… Rin will have to stay in this ice forever…'
Mortal knowledge cannot withstand the King's Abyss.
The situation was no different for the <Ones Who Came>; their leader, the melancholic moon Tersia Carenden, was also currently in a similar state of dormancy.
Then Frieda put a hand on Shuan's shoulder and spoke.
"Shuan, take care of Rin."
Her voice was so cold… so terrifyingly eerie that it felt as if a completely different person was speaking.
"Lady Frieda…?"
"Don't try to stop me. I'm going to go kill that bastard."
Frieda glared at Zernix, who was engaged in battle with Lista.
'That bastard… this is the first time I've actually met him, but I've known him as a destined enemy (宿敵) since long before…'
Rin too…
'Rin also recognized this guy as a fated enemy that absolutely must be defeated…!'
Blood flowed red from Frieda's lips, bitten in anger and sorrow.
'It's all my fault. I… said that Zernix was completely devoured by Mauna Loa… So everyone let their guard down… and Rin was sacrificed…'
As if denying Frieda's silently weeping heart, Kiess slapped Frieda's back.
[Not your fault.]
After those words… Kiess kicked off the ground with all his might. To charge at Zernix, who was battling Lista.
"Kiess!"
Frieda cried out in dismay, and Zernix also glanced down at the bottom, sensing Kiess's presence.
"Hah, the mute archer."
The light of arrows, grandly woven from the shaft of the White Spear Bow and then split into 24.
It was truly dazzling.
Even Zernix paused his offensive against Lista.
'Take this, Zernix. The 24-shot Heavenly Cherry Blossom Kill!'
The technique "Heavenly Cherry Blossom Kill" was named so because it sounded like a thousand birds crying out.
So it was natural.
When that number of Heavenly Cherry Blossom Kills were unleashed simultaneously, their immense roar would even shake the city streets!
"Hah! What a dullard! How many times do you need to see it to understand? My power, having devoured a fragment of the King, can now even dominate the world!"
Stealth is important in archery.
An arrow that the target cannot react to is the best arrow, and the Heavenly Cherry Blossom Kill also strictly follows that doctrine.
Even though it followed…!
Even though it suppressed…!
The fact that such intense light and sound are produced indicates how immensely powerful each individual shot is.
"…!"
But, even so!
24 shots of Heavenly Cherry Blossom Kill, focused on raw power with no fancy directional maneuvers!
Their sight, as they were caught by the monstrously surging parallel lines of lava and scattered impotently into particles of magic, was a shock in itself.
'What on earth is that barrier… has it evolved to completely prevent all projectiles from even passing through? If so, what about this?'
Then…!
The moment Zernix was about to burst into arrogant laughter, Kiess leaped with all his might once more.
This momentarily bewildered Zernix, as it was not an action an archer would typically make.
'A close-quarters archer… and at such extreme proximity?'
Originally, mages and archers are weak in close combat, so as they become masters, they possess several means and know-how to compensate for such battles.
Zernix was no different.
His specialties, the parallel line barrier and spatial leap, were all spell formations he researched to overcome such weaknesses… But this guy, he's engaging in close combat himself?
'10-shot Multi-shot: Explanatory Spiderweb (多重射擊 : 闡蜘網).'
He didn't just approach.
It wasn't just reaching distance, but a distance where their breaths… their very exhalations would touch the skin! An extreme interval!
"This bastard…!"
Instantly!
With an eruption of lava, Zernix's body disappeared into a dimensional rift and reappeared on the other side.
"!"
"!"
Zernix's reaction just now provided a lot of information to the Hero's party, primarily concerning the effective range of the parallel line barrier.
'Right, he's set up the parallel lines only within the reach of his own limbs… roughly two to three shaku (approx. 60-90 cm). Otherwise, he'd be flung away by his own barrier.'
Zernix was the pinnacle among pinnacles.
He was not so weak an opponent as to not realize that the sole weakness of his parallel line barrier had been seen through in this brief exchange of blows.
"Mute archer, you were much quicker than expected. Try approaching again. Next time, I'll combine it with poison (毒) and make you die from sulfurous poison regardless of your evasive maneuvers."
Kiess scowled, infuriated.
'I should have at least left a fatal wound with that move when he was off guard…!'
Towards Kiess, the Elemental Compass completed a new equation of power, maximizing the properties of lava and unleashing it.
"No, if you want to dance with me so much, I'll come to you!"
What ultra-high-speed movement!
In an instant, Zernix's limbs, which had gotten behind Kiess, transformed as if into lava rock.
And lava rocks also sprouted on various parts of Kiess's body; these were devices for generating magnetism (磁力).
'Th-that's…!'
Leonia gasped.
'That's the spell formation used by the Thunder (雷) & Iron (鐵) combo of the [Seven Souls] that Rin dealt with at the Canal Heatline!'
Though it manifested with the power of lava and was somewhat different, the main gist certainly appeared similar.
"Kiess, dodge!"
Zernix's punch, which struck where Kiess had hastily evaded, spread cracks across the ground… and lava surged up from the fissures.
"You're the one who first suggested we dance! Let's play!"
Leonia and Riven stepped forward to protect Kiess, who was repeatedly performing somersaults and focusing on evasion.
Leonia's axe blade!
Paladin Riven's spear!
Was this power that so easily deflected them to be called a force that overwhelms even masters?
"How utterly pathetic! Is there no one a bit more proper to face? If you dumbasses, who can only think 1+1, can't even punch, what good are you?"
Zernix, having tossed Leonia and Riven aside with utmost ease, snorted dismissively.
"This barbaric power, no matter how much I use it, it just doesn't grow on me."
Just then!
When Kiess, who was performing a breakfall, suddenly shot an arrow, momentarily obscuring Zernix's vision!
Suddenly, from Zernix's right, Ryuminique appeared, and the power of the sun erupted from his fingertips.
"This one is a diversion, isn't he? Trash trying to raise its value, quite the clever trick."
Zernix merely glanced at Ryuminique, taking no countermeasures.
There was no need!
The invincible parallel line was ensuring complete safety from all attacks by restricting three dimensions to two dimensions.
"The real one is over here!"
Turning his gaze upwards, Lista was aiming at the crown of Zernix's head and bringing her blade down.
"Are you worse at learning than a beast?! I told you it wouldn't work! I'll kill you with your own attack!"
The moment the tip of the holy sword was about to reflect and bounce back at Lista, Zernix sensed something unusual (異狀).
'What is this holy sword's blade… strange. It's strangely radiant. This is dangerous. Something, something powerful is contained within…!'
However, Zernix was a strategist, not a martial artist.
By the time he instinctively grasped it, it was already too late.
The power of the Extreme Holy Sword Schurphain, the true holy sword from which it originated… the power of "Form Absorption (形質吸力)" is said to absorb an opponent's magic and make it its own.
'Thank you, Shimian…!'
And what Lista's blade held at this moment was the miracle of the crimson sun, Shurigan!
The miracle that Shasa Shimian had recited, even spitting blood, was refined onto this blade!
From the blade's tip, that miracle, the power to return all things to their primordial state, was embodied!
'Rin told me then! To break this power… you just have to over-saturate the internal space and break it!'
Shurigan's power completely shattered the mirror of lava, a space incompatible with creation… and surged forth in an immense radiance.
"Ugh…!"
Lista spun her body, kicking through the gap in the shattered barrier, causing Zernix to phase shift into the air.
"How irritating…!"
The Elemental Compass pointed to 'Water (水)'.
Then… lava poured down like rain, covering the entire area; this was the spell formation used by Pau (敗雨) the Mage of [Seven Souls]!
Greater fire elementals, Hagnis, unleashed flames towards that sky, which, while not completely blocking the lava, certainly weakened its power.
'Damn… The method to break the barrier that Lista and Kiess risked their lives to tell me is useless to me.'
Frieda bit her lip.
She had been watching that guy's barrier for years, and there had been plenty of time to devise countermeasures.
'But the reason I didn't was…!'
Because Rin was by her side…
Rin, who always crushed that guy's barrier without a problem…
Because she thought Rin would always be with her…
'I will never forgive that bastard who took precious people from me twice… Never…!'
The moment Frieda unrolled a long scroll of hymns, Zernix fired a torrent of lava even while being fiercely assaulted by Lista.
"I told you! Hymns are the power of a half-wit! You're bound to lose if you rely on such things!"
"You're pretending to talk big… but in fact, you're afraid, Zernix. Of my hymns!"
"What nonsense are you babbling about? You, the most useless piece of trash among these three!"
"Keep your guard up! I'll keep unrolling the hymn scroll. You know what happens if you're even a little late, right?"
"Hahahaha! What good is unrolling it? The power won't even manifest if the incantation isn't fully recited. Elemental Compass, combine the power to completely devour that priestess!"
As the vast tidal wave of lava erupted towards Frieda, a brilliant ray of light pierced through it: the tip of the holy sword.
"Lista, don't mind me! Keep engaging in close combat!"
Lista, landing next to Frieda, was clearly at her limit; even in this intense heat, her hair was soaked with cold sweat and hung limply.
"No, Frieda. I came here to tell you two something."
"If you're here to say your last goodbyes, forget it! I won't accept such a thing!"
Yes, I won't accept it. How could I accept it?
Frieda swallowed the immense pain.
I will never accept it until Rin's 'All Beings, Little Worlds, Great Revolutions' is complete and gifted to you.
"No, it's not like that."
Lista received her friend's emotions with a sadder smile than ever, then adopted a resolute gaze once more.
"I just found out. A way to defeat Zernix."