Ch.185185. Untangling What One Has Tied (6)

“Tch, I managed to dodge it somehow…!”

Good thing I brought this magic detector from the armory. Otherwise, I would’ve been deeply slashed from shoulder to back and collapsed right there.

That’s how terrifyingly powerful it was. That magic-enhanced axe he swung.

‘What the hell did he do to cause something like this in such a short time?’

And why does his magical energy feel so disgustingly unpleasant? It’s so slimy that it makes me furrow my brow involuntarily.

“You’re not like before, are you? Back then, you moved so quickly.”

“…”

I could feel his confidence swelling as he took each bold step forward.

Honestly, I had to admit he had reason to be confident. The magical energy emanating from his enchanted weapon made it impossible to ignore.

The difference in power.

‘Damn, this is no joke. If I take even one hit… it won’t end with just a cut.’

Plus, that revolting smell vibrating from his entire body.

It was a stench I could never forget.

“Is something wrong with your head? Do you think the Empire will just leave you alone after what you’ve done?”

“Oh? What nonsense is this?”

“Playing dumb won’t work. I can smell the blood of magical beasts with that subtle hint of iron mixed in.”

It’s a smell I’ve experienced to the point of nausea.

On the battlefield, magical beasts constantly burst forth and die by the blade.

But they don’t just stand there and take it.

They resist and charge at those who try to end their lives with magic or weapons.

Another life that ends as frequently as the breath of magical beasts. That’s human breath.

“Wow, impressive! I wonder how you figured it out?”

Demian stuck his axe into the floor with an admiring voice, then casually grabbed his collar and flaunted it.

“You’re right. I did spill some blood. It got all over my clothes, and I had quite a time cleaning it off.”

Just as I thought. He crossed the line again this time.

The problem is his attitude, showing not even a hint of guilt in the process.

“You didn’t just wound those people, did you?”

“…”

Did I hit the mark? His face hardened.

What Demian has crossed and betrayed this time…

Is his duty as a human being.

“In a world powerless before strength, why should I follow such laws?”

The blood scent makes me wince involuntarily.

A stench I didn’t want to face was emanating thickly from Demian’s clothing.

‘To think he’d kill people.’

He’s not in his right mind.

The same goes for that alien and unpleasant magical energy flowing throughout his body. Both physically and mentally, Demian seems twisted somehow.

“Before extreme power, everything is forgiven. Even if it’s the wrong method, even if it violates the law!!”

Whoosh!

The magic-enhanced axe swings.

Demian’s axe, concentrated with rough magical energy, sliced through the air with a savage sound.

His slimy magical energy cut through the shelter space as if venting his emotions stuck in inferiority, and all the interior decorations shattered and sank to the floor.

“And it’s because of hypocrites like you that the law gets twisted!!”

Bang! Bang! Crash!

I have to raise every hair on my body to avoid the attacks from the thick magical energy penetrating throughout the shelter.

During the faction battle, I might have been able to face him leisurely, but not now.

I don’t know what he did, but he’s changed incomparably.

Thanks to the heavily loaded magical energy, each blow is weighty and the range has widened accordingly. If I lose focus for a moment, I’ll get hit and something will break.

‘But I can’t just keep dodging.’

Since Demian is also in a vanguard position, he’ll gradually reduce my evasion space.

I change my stance.

Lower my waist, shift my center of gravity.

This frontal attack leaves no room behind me if I dodge, so I deflect it.

Allowing the range to come dangerously close before sidestepping, with a fist charged with magical energy.

I land one hit.

Clang!

I succeeded in pushing him back, but it wasn’t an effective blow.

The magical energy covering his body was so solid that all I did was buy myself some time.

However, after attacking Demian, I felt a chill.

“Are you… insane?”

Human magical energy is as complex as DNA sequences carrying genetic information, so while types or properties can be similar, they can never be exactly the same.

The same goes for unique magic. Since the essential part of each person’s magical energy is different, there might be similar cases, but again, never exactly the same.

Therefore, the magical energy a person can possess is unique.

Yet, since the faction battle, I’ve had the feeling that Demian somehow contained several types of magical energy, which was abnormal.

I thought something was strange, but since it was the same when fighting Miki and Leon, I figured such cases might exist…

But now, as I deflected Demian’s enchanted weapon, I had a definite hunch.

“Tell me. What did you do to those guys, Miki and Leon?”

He started laughing with a booming voice that echoed throughout the shelter.

“Kuk. Kukukuk. Kuhahahahaha!!!”

I expected him to cross the line, and it was within my anticipated range.

Since his human relationships were so clearly defined, the person to kidnap would have been predetermined.

I could also understand his intention to call me to Dubekan and dispose of me quietly.

‘But what the hell is this!’

How can a magic enhancement created by one person emit multiple magical energies, and how can I feel the magical energy of the two people who followed him?

This was far beyond any theory.

It wasn’t a normal method, nor was it a trick.

‘This just… doesn’t make sense.’

There was the smell of magical beast blood. The distinctive laboratory smells of circuit stimulants, cardiac stimulants, magical energy solvents, and various other chemicals.

I knew he had mixed them together to do something, and the most alien smell.

The smell of blood suggested he had committed murder to eliminate witnesses.

That was the answer my brain had deduced.

But this… this mixed magical energy…

The only explanation was that Demian had completely devoured the power of those two people.

“Why, are you curious too? About how I became so strong?”

Goosebumps rise all over my body.

My body moved on its own.

Crack-!

“You think I’ll fall for the same trick again, you bastard?!”

Crack-!

“Kuk…! Like a rat again!”

I knew intellectually that I shouldn’t face the magic-enhanced axe head-on.

But what could I do about the rising disgust?

I’ve just barely destroyed two types of magical energy. There’s still a mountain left.

I don’t know how many more are mixed in that body.

Crack-!

I’ll strip away every layer. For the sake of those who were sacrificed by that bastard.

***

“Wait, Mishel. Let’s pause the story for a moment.”

Senia raises her hand and gives a meaningful look to the secretary, Kelnur.

Erika immediately steps forward to protest.

“Why? Are you still suspicious of Kelnur?”

“Erika. Sorry, but Mishel said ‘party member,’ not secretary.”

“What’s this, Senia? If you exclude people like that…”

“I’m not excluding anyone, but Senia’s right. I’m trying to convey this information only to the six Tembris party members.”

So Kelnur shouldn’t hear this and should leave.

That’s what Mishel is asserting.

“Haha… I understand. When it’s over, then…”

“I won’t call you. So I’d like you to leave right now.”

“…Pardon?”

“Mishel!”

“I need to reveal this only to those of you who can directly participate in combat. What? Is that strange too?”

Although there seems to be something forced about it, Erika shouts again but eventually acquiesces, as it’s a matter that warrants it.

After Kelnur leaves the room, Mishel skips the preamble and gets to the point.

“A hostage situation is happening at Dubekan.”

The members are shocked at the news of a hostage situation, but Mishel raises her index finger, asking them to lower their voices.

“Wait a minute. Why assign this to us? Shouldn’t we report to the professors?”

“Because it’s urgent. We were probably the ones who could help.”

As soon as she heard that, Senia startled and unfolded her arms.

“Wait, Mishel. So you’re saying they only asked us for help?”

“That’s right, Senia.”

In a hostage situation, someone on site needs to negotiate.

At the same time, if initial suppression fails, appropriate responses are needed, and typically, more people are called in to stall for time without provoking the perpetrator.

In that sense, calling only the seven members of the Tembris party was an extremely poor judgment.

Who would draw attention, and who would rescue the hostages? The number was woefully insufficient.

‘For someone who would make such a request to seem normal…’

Even as Senia considered it, there was only one person.

Junon. It must be him.

“Hmm. This seems unreasonable.”

“I agree with Senior Goden, this doesn’t make sense.”

“Sister Mishel, this doesn’t seem right. Even if the academy’s security has weakened, calling people…”

Everyone is agitated, but Mishel doesn’t doubt Junon’s response.

“I understand, but I want everyone to listen. That’s what the person involved asked for.”

Someone who would know how to respond to a hostage situation wouldn’t make such a judgment lightly.

Sensing something odd, Erika questions:

“The person involved? Which idiot said that?”

“Erika.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Someone takes hostages because they have demands, so who would respond like that? I need to know who this person is before I move.”

“You never know. The perpetrator might demand that.”

“That’s exactly the problem! It’s strange to respond so naively when we don’t even know what the perpetrator wants!”

Not knowing what they’re demanding, and the response method being irrational.

Moreover, even if this irrational operation is executed, Tembris will take the fall if it fails.

He doesn’t even know what conditions were set, only that he asked for this to be done.

In other words, Erika’s argument had no flaws. From any perspective.

“Tell me quickly. I need to judge whether this person has ill intentions toward Tembris.”

Finally cornered, Mishel had to reveal his name.

“…It’s Junon.”

“What? Who… did you say? I didn’t mishear, right?”

“The Junon you know. He’s the one who asked for this response.”

And naturally, from the moment this name was mentioned.

“Call people first. I don’t trust that guy.”

Erika is adamantly refusing to comply with Junon’s request.

However, despite the lack of consensus, a reason emerged that forced the opinions to converge.

“Hena? You shouldn’t be moving yet!”

“Adel… must be… kidnapped… He said if Junon doesn’t come alone, he’ll kill Adel…”

Hena, who is practically an eyewitness from that place, squeezes out her voice.

“Please… save… him… I beg… you…”

“Hena!”

Hena is still not fully recovered, either mentally or physically.

Nevertheless, she desperately pleads for them to help Junon save Adel before losing consciousness.

“…No need for reasons now, right?”

“Fine, fine! We’ll go, okay?”

When Mishel glared at Erika with angry eyes, Erika retorted in a sullen tone.

Some were frightened.

Some were speculating about what was happening.

Some were still afraid to face what was coming.

But without exception, the Tembris party immediately headed to Dubekan.

However, what greeted them as they rushed there was not silence.

“A spirit…? Why is something like this here…”

“Don’t touch it!”

Tsssss─!

Just as Senia knocked away Erika’s hand that was trying to connect with the spirit, the spirit’s attack grazed past.

Seeing the clear hostile action from a spirit that shouldn’t attack humans, Senia draws her sword.

“…Prepare for battle. These are all spirits that have turned into magical beasts.”

Also, activating her magical vision with a deeply lowered voice, she warns again.

“Dubekan is… essentially no different from a cave now. Stay sharp.”

An academy building that was nearly completed has entirely become a habitat for magical beasts.