Book 4 Chapter 3

Episode 77

“If you use your magic in front of me, won’t it be too easy to steal?”

The chains, which had sealed all power, stretched out long as they were, wrapping around Rain’s hand as if to prove their owner had changed.

“You st-stole it……?”

Did my chains have such power?

It feels like even my physical strength is being completely drained…… One knee buckled uncontrollably.

“I didn’t just steal it; I made a few modifications at the same time I stole it.”

Rearranged the structure of the Ryuken Identity that constructs chains with Bell Quirius, inversely calculating and correcting it to extremely amplify the power of Lan (闌; Blocking).

“With this, I blocked the flow of power spreading throughout your body. It's only possible because Bell Quirius allows me to see everything, even inside your body.”

“……!”

“The important thing was the timing to completely block that flow, but thankfully, you fell for my act, didn’t you?”

Although he said it as if it were nothing, as could be seen from the blood flowing from his eyes, the damage Rain sustained was considerable.

Because he had to perform the instantaneous action of stealing the Chains of Vigilance, correcting them, and binding the man’s movements, all within 0.5 seconds.

Every time I interfere with providence using Bell Quirius, I feel a pain like my mind is burning white. Perhaps it’s the price for a human daring to touch the realm of a god…….

“Even after this explanation, you still look like you don’t understand. The patience of the human who taught magic to someone like you is truly admirable.”

Until now, I had only used Bell Quirius to analyze, inversely calculate, and then dismantle an opponent's magic, but the true purpose Scalzi taught me was this.

Stealing another’s magic.

This act of stealing meant taking control of magic that an opponent was casting or had already cast.

“In short, the ‘Chains of Vigilance’ you used are now mine. Though they were originally mine.”

Of course, it requires inversely calculating mathematical formulas several times more complex than invalidating magic by introducing an imaginary root into an equation, but as you can see, the effect is enormous.

“Such, a preposterous act, it can’t be possible……!”

This is truly absurd.

Livadin, who had been struggling to move for a long time, finally gasped violently for breath.

‘Not only magic power, but even simple strength like muscle and arm power can’t be used properly?’

When he realized that despairing truth, suddenly his jaw spun, and something flew into the air. It was a tooth.

“I’ve noticed something when dealing with you black mages. You don’t listen, like beasts. Maybe that’s why you have to beat them like animals first to make them docile?”

Rain's eyes, holding a fragment of the staff that had just been broken, were cold.

“You bastard…… *gasp*!”

“Tell me. Who exactly is the one who gave you that face and those abilities? Then I’ll let you die peacefully.”

An vague sense of unease, bewilderment, and questions intertwined, making him feel as if he would go mad.

While curious about the identity of the mastermind, he was so terrified that his fingers trembled, wondering what if Touraina’s name actually came out of that mouth.

But what came out of the man’s blood-splattered face was no one’s name. Only an eerily quiet laugh.

“You little rat…… Yes, I admit your trickery is skillful…….”

“What? You haven’t been beaten enough yet? Alright, come here.”

“But it’s futile. Such cheap tricks won’t work on my mother.”

“Yes! Tell me who that mother is!”

“Don’t be impatient…… Since you killed even me, Mother will come looking for you herself now……! Hahahahaha, there’s no use running away! Hide and tremble in fear, like the rat you are!”

Just as he was about to press for the identity of that mother, a wave of nausea surged within him, mixed with instinctive revulsion.

The man’s face was melting away. Flesh, muscle, from the skull, turning into a thick liquid…….

‘How is this happening?’

Bell Quirius is still active. The Chains of Vigilance are still in my possession. That means this isn’t an abnormal power, does it? Is it a chemical suicide?

“Ah, damn it…….”

By the time the questions were sorted out, the corpse, with only a skull remaining on its head, had already collapsed horribly into a puddle formed by its melting flesh.

“If this happens, there’s absolutely no meaning in having drawn him out one-on-one and dealt with him.”

Anything would have been good, I should have extracted some information, damn it.

‘To be afflicted with dark poison while trying to get information, and this is the result…….’

By then, Pipi landed on Rain’s crown and began doing a victory butt dance. Perhaps because it had been spewing flames until now, its body felt as warm as sunlight.

“Rain, Pipi won. Rain Pipi defeated a black mage again. E-a-s-y! EZEZEZ~!”

When I’m with Pipi, I just feel at ease, no matter what happens. I’m not lonely. Even in such a terrible situation, I can laugh.

“First, let’s go to <Goldenrose>, to the church. I need to hide and heal the dark poison before reinforcements arrive.”

The outcome was truly frustrating, but there was no time to hesitate here.

A comrade might be waiting nearby, and in this state, fighting now would be an absolute loss.

Even if I won, if I left the dark poison untreated and too much time passed, I might have to cut off my arm…….

“Quite impressive, to have even defeated Livadin.”

Just as he turned to leave the scene, a cold chill wrapped around his feet like a snake, and his body froze in tension.

“To be honest, it’s unexpected. I didn’t think you’d actually defeat Livadin.”

Pipi soared into the sky, engulfing itself in flames, and Rain’s eyes twitched erratically.

Denying the reality he heard as a hallucination, when he subtly glanced behind him, the worst-case scenario had indeed become reality.

With a long sigh, a voice steeped in despair flowed out like a lament.

“……Valencides.”

* * *

“Yes, it’s me.”

A calm voice replied.

The sun had long set, and only an unstable twilight faintly illuminated the forest.

Into the forest, which had regained its silence as Livadin’s emitted poison subsided, a man with ten times more potent poison appeared.

“You must be busy with your duties as an organizer, is it alright for you to wander around here?”

Valencides is the most peculiar black mage I’ve ever met.

He has no bloodlust, no madness, and his glimpse of character seems noble and lofty. His popularity among commoner mages is also immensely deep.

Because of that gap, I can’t tell what he’s thinking at all. My breath grows ragged, and my hands and feet tremble.

“I think I could return that exact statement to you?”

“Is that so?”

“Think about it yourself.”

Even now, I can’t tell if he’s showing bloodlust or making a joke.

There’s only one thing I can be sure of.

Terrifying magic, enough to make my fingertips twitch, was swirling within his body…… Rather than hesitate and give him the initiative, I’ll strike first.

Chaa-rururung────!

The moment Rain’s eyes emitted a faint light, the Chains of Vigilance moved silently and struck Valencides.

I definitely thought they had struck.

But Valencides’ body, pierced by the chains, dissolved into a sticky mess, and soon his presence vanished from there.

‘He dodged that?’

Was he aware of my combat style because he was Livadin’s comrade…… As I tensed up and lowered my stance, something suddenly grabbed the back of my head.

“Clumsy. The moment you entered my fatal range, the outcome was already decided.”

“……!”

“If I release even a little magic, your head will explode from the poison. So─”

At that moment, a figure of flame swooped down towards Valencides.

The moment I felt a flicker of surprise from Valencides’ hand gripping my head, I shook off his arm and simultaneously unleashed the chains to bind his movements.

I definitely thought I had done so…… but the chains were deflected by the tessen (鐵扇; iron fan) Valencides had opened at some point.

“……?!”

From the fan blades, on which a dozen ancient crows were terrifyingly intricately carved, an unknown depth of demonic energy (妖氣) flowed out, wildly devouring the twilight.

I knew it at a glance.

That is a holy relic of the Abyss.

The fact that it cleanly deflected 5-star magic so perfectly supported this judgment.

‘My initial judgment was indeed correct.’

This guy isn’t some low-ranking black mage. He’s someone entrusted with enormous responsibility.

“Calm down. I merely intended to suggest we talk for a bit.”

As Valencides snapped the fan shut, the incomprehensible power that had been devouring the twilight vanished, and the world felt brighter.

“Talk?”

“First, let’s clear up the misunderstanding. I didn’t come here to kill you.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Believe it. If I intended to kill you, I wouldn’t have come alone first.”

“It would be the same even if a few lackeys came.”

“Would you really be able to say that if your weaknesses were exposed? If I had brought your siblings and mother, that is.”

“What?”

“I would have told you to get rid of those chains. As an example, I would have cut off the limbs of one of your two siblings. As an example of what happens if you don’t listen.”

There was no deception in Valencides’ voice as he recounted the cruel story.

“Next, I would have told you to throw a knife and gouge out your own eyes. With a threat like that, if you wanted to save your mother.”

There was no bravado, no exaggeration; his voice was calm, as if he were purely stating the truth.

Sweat…….

Cold sweat runs down…….

Along with the conviction that this guy was incomparably more dangerous than Livadin and Libeni.

“I told you. If you observe people, you can find their weaknesses. You care for your family more than you appear to.”

“You son of a bitch…….”

“I merely won’t choose means when pursuing a goal. But don’t worry. I only do such things when I’m convinced of their validity.”

“Nonsense! Having succumbed to the Abyss and become a black mage, you certainly play the part of a sage well. Stop it. It makes me sick.”

At that, Valencides curled the corners of his mouth in amusement and posed a strange question.

“What is a sage, Rain Ludwig?”

“……?”

“Is merely conforming to the order of this era, where one’s status (貴賤; noble or lowly) is determined from birth, truly the duty of one who seeks truth?”

Don’t engage him seriously.

This guy’s logic possesses a strange demonic charm. Arguing with him will only cloud my judgment.

“Black magic is merely a means I use to pursue truth. To bestow true order upon this twisted world.”

“New order, my ass. Black mages’ thoughts are always the same, no matter the era. You just intend to become the new rulers.”

“No, in the world I will create, there will be no kings, no nobles. Only humans, equal to one another.”

“……?”

“And the beginning of that change will commence under the name of the redistribution of magic.”

It was nothing but incomprehensible talk. Yet, it was strangely captivating.

Therefore, it was a very dangerous discussion.

By then, the three suns had completely vanished behind the ridge, twilight had settled over the forest, and a chill began to circulate.

“If you go about 500 meters to the left from here, you’ll find the place where Livadin buried the Special Task Force mages.”

“What?”

“I’ll take Livadin’s corpse. I need to mix his body with those of the Special Task Force mages. As if they fought each other and mutually annihilated.”

And I have to report it that way to the higher-ups, Valencides said, and then lifted Livadin’s corpse with telekinesis.

He was so dumbfounded that he let out a shout.

“What are you trying to do with me now?”

“I’m suggesting we form a temporary cooperative relationship. Wouldn’t that be more convenient for both of us?”

“……?”

“Ah, I see. If you go to the church to heal the dark poison, the manipulation of the situation will be exposed.”

Then, as if he had forgotten, he suddenly stretched out a hand toward Rain and quietly mumbled something.

Thereupon, sacred characters appeared in the air, glowing, and then rushed straight toward Rain. Specifically, to Rain’s left arm.

As the runes clung to Rain’s arm and scattered light, the pain subsided, and color began to return to his dark-eroded skin.

“High-speed incantation of Divine Sorcery……?”

He couldn't believe it and could do nothing but blink his eyes for a long time.

Divine Sorcery was a power that only those who had mastered the Sutra Pitaka (經藏) of the Tripitaka (삼장) learned by witches could use.

With this book, where the words of the gods were organized in Dragon Tongue, witches performed miracles of the gods, and 300 years ago, Frieda also used this power to purify her party members’ dark poison.

“─Be honored! The Sutra Pitaka is incredibly difficult to learn! Only a very small number of witches can master the Sutra Pitaka, that’s what I mean.”

Such power…… How could this guy, a mage, possibly use it?

Witches are different from mages.

Without a teacher, in advanced parts, it’s a structure where one cannot learn anything through self-study. And Divine Sorcery is the hardest sorcery to learn, isn’t it?

“The person who taught me was peculiar, you see. I was able to learn both magic and sorcery.”

“……Is that the same person they called ‘Mother’?”

“I cannot answer that. No, if you answer first, I’ll answer too. What exactly is your true identity, Rain Ludwig?”

The coldly shining suspicion in Valencides’ eyes struck his chest.

“You handle 5-star magic at that age, and you’ve awakened Bell Quirius. You are far too abnormal.”

“……It’s talent.”

“Let’s say this is talent. But to be so calm after hearing that the Special Task Force guys died, or after directly killing people, even if they are black mages—that’s not something talent alone can account for, is it?”

He had nothing to say.

I wasn’t so indifferent to people’s deaths from the beginning either. That sensation merely dulled during five years of expeditions.

“You can’t say, can you? It’s the same for me. Everyone has secrets they can’t speak of.”

Leaving those words, Valencides quietly vanished into the darkness of the forest.

“Return before curfew. If you don’t want to be bothered by troublesome suspicions.”

He considered pressing for the identity of this ‘Mother’ figure but stopped. There was no way he would answer.

And for a moment, he pondered.

Seriously, just let him go like this?

But it wasn’t that his logic was completely wrong. If he really intended to deal with me, given his meticulous nature, he would have brought my family…….

‘Then from my perspective, shouldn’t I deal with him now instead?’

If I leave him be, he feels like he’ll appear as a truly dangerous enemy someday…….

But he lacked confidence.

Especially now, with his magic power depleted from the fight with Livadin. And for some reason, he hesitated. Why did he heal me, anyway?

“Rain, that guy is dangerous. Danger, danger, emergency, emergency, super-emergency.”

Only after the man had completely disappeared from sight did Pipi, who had been circling above Rain’s head in vigilance, land on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I know. Let’s think of a way to deal with him before he reveals his true colors.”

He’s terrifyingly dangerous.

So much so that I don’t want to make him an enemy…….

As the forest settled into silence in the early evening breeze, Valencides’ sophistry spun wildly in his mind.

“─Only humans, equal to one another.”