Episode 82
Louisa began launching a furious barrage with her dagger, while the other two professors, Paula and Lucien, supported her.
Zagan, who had not yet freed himself, found himself on the brink as his wounds increased with each passing moment.
A red aura danced around Louisa’s swordsmanship.
If she made a serious mistake and landed a heavy blow, recovery would take a long time. Damage had to be minimized.
Arterion, Alicia, and Leon initially tried to intervene in their fight but stayed on alert, taking a step back from direct combat.
They could not join in.
They were too busy taking in Louisa’s achievements on display, feeling unsure of their ability to assist her.
Even the mad genius Alicia, Arterion who would later be known as the Sword Saint, and even reckless Leon sensed the truth.
They were still too young.
Any attempt to enter could result in mere obstruction.
Slosh, slosh. The debris of the shattered inner wall from Louisa’s strike wriggled like living insects and crawled up to the ceiling.
The once wide-open hole in the ceiling was restored to its original state.
Noticing her diminishing necessity, Alicia hurried over to Nikela, who was lying nearby and breathing heavily, to cast a healing spell.
Nearby, Liam was also casting healing magic, but his condition was also deteriorating; his output was down.
Vargan watched from a distance.
The situation was easy to perceive from her appearance. Nikela exhibited severe mana deficiency symptoms.
If she received good first aid, it might save her life, but there seemed to be no avoiding side effects.
Liam’s eyes were vacant, looking like a person lost in madness.
Though he seemed to be trying his best for Nikela, from another perspective, it was also about saving himself.
If Nikela were to die here, Liam would crumble beyond recovery.
The weight on Liam’s shoulders was different from before entering this place.
Old comrades now lay lifeless around him: Ophelia, Lucaiel, Haliana. Just moments ago, they had been alive and dreamed of the future.
Nikela’s survival was his only lifeline.
Kwang—!
Louisa’s sword clashed against Zagan’s scythe, producing a tremendous sound. Mana erupted like fireworks, sending shockwaves in all directions.
Time remaining until liberation:
Approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Zagan’s complexion was darkening.
He was straining with such intensity that tiny blood vessels appeared around his eyes. The professors’ relentless assault showed no signs of stopping.
Zagan’s right arm was severed.
Sak-sak—!
With one arm gone, the balance he had barely maintained shattered instantly.
Soon, the remaining arm was severed as well, and his neck was in danger.
Vargan, witnessing this, drew upon the power of the red gemstone ring he was wearing to its limits.
This ring was a relic from Schugenharz’s warehouse, rated at quite a high tier of 3, but it was a one-time use.
The relic found in the warehouse was of a quite high grade, classified as a level 3, but it was one-time use only.
Its effect was a temporary amplification of mana.
Vargan needed to temporarily enhance the total amount of mana using the power of the relics.
Only Vargan was prepared for the current situation.
In the novel, there had been times when Zagan’s life was in danger just like now. Liam would know, but currently, he was too preoccupied with other matters to even consider this concept.
“……”
Erica, standing near Vargan, noticed as he began to draw out the power of the relic to its limits.
She didn’t speak, just sharpened her gaze and observed him more intently.
Just as Zagan’s neck was about to be cut by Louisa’s blood-red blade.
Crack⎯.
Behind Zagan.
Space twisted, similar to when Erica used her Warp Magic. However, the form was grotesque. It resembled a mouth of some creature, wide open with teeth visible.
『I could have done more! I won’t back down against such things!』
Hundreds of white hands surrounded Zagan, pulling him into the maw like a child throwing a tantrum.
Despite what he said, Zagan did not resist.
Erica tried to assess the situation, discerning who was behind this act.
“… Warp Magic? No, that can’t be. The outside and inside of the Nest are severed. It wouldn’t be possible to make contact from the outside if it were only from the inside!”
As if to respond to her, black hands began to wrap around everyone’s bodies, similar to Zagan’s situation.
That emerged from the ground like a tattoo, creeping up their legs, it moved to choke and perfectly control their movements.
Even Louisa, who had been fiercely attacking Zagan, could not escape these black hands and shouted.
“Are you seriously trying to run away in such a pathetic manner?!”
Louisa realized what kind of situation it was.
It was part of the power of the “Higher Entities” group to which Zagan belonged.
With intent to kill seeping from her eyes, she yelled towards the gaping dark space inside.
Louisa spoke directly to Zagan, but her gaze targeted something much deeper.
“Grrrraah⎯⎯!”
Anger boiled within Louisa.
Even as she squeezed her muscles as if they would burst, forcing her mana circuits to heat up…
Every part of her body, except for her mouth, seemed paralyzed, ignoring her brain’s commands.
She was about to lose the Archbishop she had captured.
At this rate, she couldn’t relieve the sorrow of the students whose lives had been lost!
⎯Crack, crack.
Her muscles and skin began to tear.
It was the pressure weighing down on her as she desperately tried to move her body.
『Have you completely lost your mind? If you keep going like this, your whole body will bend and turn into a ball.』
Zagan spoke lightly, as if mocking her.
Even though she felt frustrated to be pushed to this extent, she could just wait for the next opportunity to wipe them out.
Time was on Zagan’s side.
It probably wouldn’t happen, but if they grew strong enough to be unmanageable, she’d take advantage when they became feeble.
He smirked.
『It’s regrettable, but let’s meet again later. I’ve remembered everyone here. I’ll make sure to devour every part of your bodies.』
Those were Zagan’s words, a curse and a mark upon them.
A determination that he wouldn’t let those who put him in this state go free. He instilled fear that they’d tremble in apprehension of the death they could face at any moment.
For her, everything was a game and humans were mere toys. The power she had unleashed was absolute.
Zagan sought out the man who had greatly contributed to putting him in this predicament.
As long as such absurd failures to liberate didn’t keep happening, there wouldn’t be any issues…
“Alicia, I will borrow Naias.”
“Young Master…?”
Thud.
It was the first time. Zagan’s eyes reflected the honest surprise of being genuinely shocked.
No matter how vast his mana was from birth, he was still just a young kid.
Even the strongest, muscle-bound female professor here.
Even the professor in the big hat, who supposedly had the most knowledge about magic.
They could only flap their mouths, immobilized.
It couldn’t be helped.
It was the power of an ‘Archbishop.’
A force wielded by someone who could be considered a cornerstone of the Goddess Church.
No matter how strong a hero might be, in front of an archbishop, he turns into a mere child.
With just a small gesture, countless lives return to the soil, and mountains flatten out. That’s some serious power.
“Only someone with the same archbishop-level mana can achieve that…!”
As he raised his blue sword, light burst forth, resonating with the red jewel ring.
The thick blue smoke surrounding him began to transform.
What had been a strong blue light became transparent, as if it vanished into thin air.
Zagan had seen that sight once before.
Forty years ago.
The moment the man known as the current Principal of Academia cast his magic. Even back then, that same sensation sent shivers through his skin.
Colorless, odorless.
Yet, a certain presence occupied that space.
He knew what to call that level.
Other archbishops on the battlefield looked at the man’s achievements and said.
⎯A human who has transcended the throne of mana. That guy is dangerous.
Thump.
The ominous footsteps spread throughout the nest.
Every time the man moved, his skin felt pressed down or pinched. Fingers bent backward as if twisted.
What shocked Zagan wasn’t that he could endure such pain.
It was simply the fact that he could move at all.
Thump⎯.
He could come this close with ‘only that degree of damage.’
The man stretched a smirk.
Far from being intimidating, his expression was almost noble, which felt downright vicious.
Just a mere plaything. A single human.
How could he bow his head and show such a demeanor in front of an archbishop…?
That just didn’t add up…!
This… this can’t be right.
“Uh, hold on… just wait there for a moment.”
Zagan managed to raise a voice of urgency.
It was a sound he’d been making since some point.
Her arms were completely severed, unable to wield the Judgment Weapon.
Calling forth the Magic Cannon was impossible. She had already exhausted all the mana she had before liberation. With no chance of regeneration, she didn’t have the strength to use the Magic Cannon.
Even when trying to resist with her legs, the white hands pulling her restrained her movements. The means to escape had become a hindrance instead.
“Stop… stop… I said stop!”
The man didn’t halt his steps.
Now right in front of her, he lifted his sword high.
Still, there was no sign of mana flowing, yet there was an immense amount of it there.
His mouth opened slightly.
Though no sound emerged, the shape could be understood.
⎯So this is how you send Amon’s underlings out.
Why does he know the name of the archbishop…?
There shouldn’t be any human who knows her name.
Fear etched itself into Zagan’s body.
I’m going to die like this?
Me? The archbishop, am I going to die?
In such a place? Me? …Me?
“Sa, sa…”
The words she had heard countless times slipped out of Zagan’s mouth. It was a word she was so familiar with that it had become tedious.
As she had once reveled in the twisted expressions of those lowly beings, now Zagan found herself in their position.
“Please spare me…”
Now, she had become that pitiful existence.
Swish⎯!
The sword came crashing down.
The red ring shattered.
00:02
Two seconds before Zagan could unleash her powers.
Finally, all the situations were completely sorted.
“……”
As Zagan’s head sunk to the ground, the space that had been gaping shut, and all the white hands returned inside.
The white hand returns all at once.
Vargan faced the eyes that were observing the situation from within. Those eyes were fixated on Vargan.
Perhaps intrigued, it soon transformed into an inverted crescent moon.
It greeted him.
*
The night of the airship returning to the Academia after all matters were concluded.
I am resting in the hospital room.
Though momentarily elevated to the realm of transcendence thanks to the power of the ring and Naias, Cardinal Beled’s authority was formidable.
Looking back, it was no surprise that my body was covered in bruises, and several areas of flesh had been torn apart. Veins had burst and twisted.
Trying to endure with power beyond my current achievement left its marks.
This is where I ended up, with Alicia behind me, bawling dramatically. I practically shoved her out and sent her back to her room after she had clung to me all day.
…Speaking of which, even if Erika dislikes it, she did come to visit like an engaged fiancé would. Who would have thought I’d see that side of Erika?
Others came too, but these two left the strongest impression.
From what I heard from the professors, aside from one bishop-type wearing a top hat, all four physical bodies had burst.
The only one who had escaped was particularly swift and, given the urgency of the situation inside the nest, was missed.
Anyway, that aside.
‘I have obtained the first Judgment Weapon.’
A Judgment Weapon is something akin to an extension of the body of an Altife above the rank of Archbishop, which conceptually differs from simply having brought the object itself.
I gazed at the relic Naias, now turned black.
Its usual clear color had dulled to a murky hue.
When I struck Zagan down, I had absorbed her Judgment Weapon.
This was also the reason why Liam, in the novel, had used Naias, which was a second-rank relic, until the very end.
Although the spirit had died and its power diminished, I had gained enough strength to offset that by felling an Archbishop.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t utilize the powers Zagan possessed, but my limits and strength had surprisingly skyrocketed.
By now, Naias, who had been complaining about feeling cramped inside the sword, was nestled within it.
In a few days, the sudden influx of power would stabilize, and she would awaken from her slumber.
As I pondered my future plans and the upcoming schedule, suddenly—
Creak—!
With a loud noise, an unwelcome guest intruded.
It was the pitiful protagonist, wrapped in bandages.
“Your behavior has gotten quite fierce.”
Liam’s breath was unstable. Perhaps it was from hours of crying, or maybe his veins had burst, but his red eyes were puffy.
His eyes were swimming in despair.
“Visiting me so impulsively means there must be a serious issue or something urgent, right?”
This incident had hit Liam hard.
If he wasn’t careful, he might never stand again.
“…Right?”
His muttered words were so muffled that I couldn’t understand them.
Waiting with my brows furrowed, he finally spoke again.
“You… are a reincarnator. …Isn’t that right?”
Liam’s words were filled with a sense of urgency.
He continued to speak.
“You’re a reincarnator like me! Speak up—!”
He got up from the bed, rushing toward me in desperation. Liam’s body trembled as if he couldn’t calm down from the cold.
I sighed heavily.
“Cough…!”
I struck Liam in the abdomen.
He was already heavily injured. The shock knocked him down, and he writhed on the floor.
I spoke to that foolish guy.
It was faster than I had previously anticipated, but it had to be said now.
“Yeah.”
I couldn’t just stand by and watch this ridiculous spectacle any longer.
“I came from the outside world.”
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