Ch.308308. Arrangement (2)

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In truth, the proposal isn’t anything special.

The ultimate goal is to kill Mobius over there. What I’m doing here is just a “stepping stone” to achieve that objective.

In other words, I’m sending a warning.

“Nothing special.”

[Just get on with it-!]

“I also want to collect some data on a Demonic Spire professor. I’d like to conduct an ‘experiment’ of my own. Would you agree to that?”

This is actually an absurd request.

It’s strange enough that I, as the test subject, am suddenly asking him to come down, and even more ridiculous to talk about collecting data on the other person.

But there’s one very obvious fact that’s been known for ages:

People who are blinded by rage completely lose their ability to reason.

He’ll do anything as long as it stops what I’m doing right now.

[Wait right there!]

Before Mobius could explode in rage and shout something back, Klein, who was holding the megaphone, comes down from the control booth with heavy breaths.

As Professor Klein descends in the elevator, I smile at him and continue speaking.

“Professor Klein.”

“What?”

“I’ve heard you’ve conducted extensive research on the brain.”

I already heard this from Alpha.

I was told he developed many weapons, but that was just to please Mobius. His main field is brain-related science.

The problem is that he’s killed quite a lot of people by experimenting his original theories on living human brains.

So, this is just rightful retribution.

‘That’s fortunate, I think.’

[…What is?]

‘Your field of study happens to be the brain.’

[This bastard is up to something again…]

While having this conversation with Calivan Chrysanyx through the Soul Linker, I calmly open my mouth.

“Can you make one promise?”

“Hurry up and tell me. What is it?”

“You’ll cooperate properly with the experiment? And you won’t mind whatever the results may be.”

“I was wondering what nonsense you were going to say. As a researcher, do you think I wouldn’t adhere to—”

“Yes. That’s all I needed.”

I immediately cut off Professor Klein who was about to speak with an angry expression.

Right.

You said it yourself?

No complaints?

“My experiment is about finding out how much physical impact a human brain can withstand.”

“…What?”

As Professor Klein’s incredulous voice echoes around us.

Immediately, a fully strengthened fist strike plunges into his head.

It was clearly a force comparable to when I burst Count Nicholas’s head before.

The sound of Professor Klein’s crushed head rolling on the floor echoed vividly around us.

“Cut.”

“…”

“…”

Well.

I think it’s an appropriate punishment for someone who collected data by killing innocent people for his research.

‘He won’t die anyway, so whatever.’

I’d heard before that the intention behind this experiment was to keep me alive while doing these things to me.

Even after this, he should still be breathing.

“…Whoa.”

Indeed, seeing Professor Klein writhing in pain even with his head blown apart makes me frown involuntarily.

He’s clearly experiencing shock symptoms as the pain exceeds the threshold. His uncontrollable convulsions and trembling are almost pitiful.

How he’s alive in this state, how he can still feel sensations—it’s unclear. Perhaps it’s true that sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic.

These guys probably laughed and enjoyed themselves while doing this to me.

‘So, in other words.’

I’m giving back to them exactly what they planned to do to me to torment me.

As I said earlier,

As a “warning,” this form is undoubtedly very appropriate.

“…”

I smile silently as I look at Professor Mobius sitting in the control booth.

He’s certainly not a fool.

He’ll understand the meaning behind what I’m doing right now.

‘Don’t play obvious games with me. You’ll die?’

That’s roughly how it could be summarized.

Professor Mobius’s face is visibly contorting even from here.

He must be feeling quite bad, right?

[…It looks a bit more serious than that?]

Then all the better.

And it seems Calivan’s words weren’t a joke, as Mobius rises from his seat in the control booth.

‘Oh.’

Unlike Klein who came down normally in the elevator, this guy’s movement is somehow extraordinary.

As he waves what looks like a baton that he always carries, some kind of ‘portal’ appears in front of him, and he steps through it.

There’s no mana manipulation. Even that must be a product of scientific technology.

As my gaze fixes on Mobius who instantly appears before me by tearing through space, he slowly opens his mouth.

“…This could be considered a declaration of war against the Demonic Spire, Darwood Campbell.”

“But it’s fine for you to try to kill me completely while claiming to extract data on magic?”

“…”

“Let’s stop playing games, shall we?”

As I say this with a smirk, Mobius waves his wand again, and a blue barrier spreads around us.

“Those outside probably won’t be able to hear what we say in here.”

And as the barrier forms, Mobius says in a low voice:

“What do you want?”

“…”

I silently look at him and scratch my cheek.

“…Why are you asking what I want?”

“Because this seems like an issue that could be resolved peacefully.”

He continues in an emotionless voice.

“My goal is to continue researching the magic you can utilize. I admit my methods have been extreme until now. I apologize. And if you have any demands, I’ll try to accommodate them as much as possible.”

“…”

Oh.

Oh?

This is a completely unexpected response.

I was certain he would have a fit, get angry, or threaten me here. But he’s apologizing and saying he’ll meet my demands.

I see.

But.

But you know what.

“Do I look like an idiot to you?”

I calmly say those words to the person in front of me.

Mobius’s eyes narrow.

“I know and you know that I know that once you achieve your goal, you’ll discard the thorns in your side. Don’t try to fool me.”

“—If you heard my purpose, even you could understand—”

“Honestly, I could give you that data or whatever if you had convinced me properly.”

“…”

“But.”

My voice drops.

“You touched the people around me.”

“…”

“At that point, I couldn’t care less about your goals.”

In fact, if he’s not a fool, he can’t possibly not know that Astrid and I are trying to bring him down.

Despite that, he continued this experiment or whatever it is, and even though I’m seriously provoking him, he’s taking a submissive stance. This converges to one conclusion:

Researching data on magic is very, very, very important to him.

The fact that he doesn’t immediately kill Professor Astrid despite my uncooperative attitude proves it.

“But there is one thing I want.”

Then.

Then, you know.

A rather interesting proposal becomes possible.

“The world is full of people who think what they’re doing is right, and it would be a waste of time for me to argue with them.”

“What are you saying?”

“Let’s be honest. Since we can’t persuade each other anyway.”

There’s no point in listening to a villain’s long-winded story—it’s tedious for both of us.

Rather than doing something unproductive, it’s better to just lay our cards on the table.

“Give me one chance to deal with you, Professor Mobius.”

Mobius let out a hollow laugh.

He seems to have immediately understood what I was trying to say.

“Are you suggesting a duel?”

“We both know you won’t fight fair, so just do as you please. Try to defeat me with all your sinister methods. However.”

I continue calmly.

“You also need to be at risk of getting hit by me. That’s my only condition.”

“…”

“You can use anything in the Demonic Spire. Use everything at your disposal. If I lose there, I’ll cooperate with you unconditionally. If you find it hard to trust me, I can make a ‘soul oath’ or whatever pledge that suits your sinister taste, okay?”

“And if I lose?”

Why ask such an obvious question?

I answer with a smirk.

“I will kill you.”

“…”

“It’s a bit disappointing that I can only do it once.”

Of course.

When I do it, I’ll do it properly.

Even once will be satisfying enough.

Those who touch other people’s families must face proper retribution.

“…”

Mobius snorted in disbelief.

Well, fair enough.

Right now, I am.

Alone. With nothing.

Practically declaring war on the Demonic Spire.

But he’ll probably accept it.

That’s why I went along with this ridiculous experiment or whatever it is.

“Or will you continue to play games with the Demonic Spire professors? After being humiliated twice in a row?”

A significant portion of how Mobius controls the Demonic Spire is through the group’s uniqueness and rule by fear.

But if I keep scoring points like this every time we clash, the longer this drags on, the more detrimental it will be to his rule.

After a long silence in response to my words, Mobius finally spoke.

“…Darwood Campbell.”

“Yes.”

“It would be better not to become too arrogant.”

With those words, he removed the blue barrier.

“The law that arrogance brings down mountains doesn’t only apply to us.”

And with those words.

He opens another portal and disappears into it.

“…”

Sigh.

Still, I got it.

A chance to deal with that guy.

[…But.]

As I watch Mobius’s retreating figure, such a voice comes from within the Soul Linker.

[How do you really plan to handle this?]

‘Excuse me?’

[The Demonic Spire, I mean. Until now, you’ve managed to get by playfully, but having the head of the Demonic Spire seriously trying to kill you is a completely different matter. With their technology, they’ll probably seal your magic and come after you, right?]

‘I suppose so.’

They’ll be blocking one of my main combat methods.

But.

Even so, I still have things I can use.

Well, that is.

It should be there when I return to my quarters by now.

[…You had something that amazing in your quarters?]

‘Of course. I do.’

My final card that even the Demonic Spire has surely overlooked.

●

“…Darwood.”

Chancellor Sullivan spoke in a voice of disbelief.

This was his reaction to what I just said. His whole body was trembling.

“…What did you just say…?”

Well.

Was it a difficult word to understand?

I tilt my head and repeat myself.

“Let’s combine, Chancellor.”

“…”

“It might hurt a little at first, but I’m sure we’ll manage somehow.”

“…”

The Chancellor’s body froze stiff.

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