Ch.333333. A Single Victory (8)

“You chose the human way. Despite being a magical beast. That’s your only weakness, Ashpern.”

-Pitter-patter.

As mana wrapped around Junon’s approaching hand, the rocks flying through telekinesis shattered into pieces.

He who had only been dodging and evading now directly countered the magic. He begins to close the distance he had been maintaining, one step at a time.

Clearly, it was a sign that he was taking an offensive stance.

“So, are you saying you can defeat me?”

Dense magical energy begins to flow from Ashpern’s body. The magical energy converted into mana drew dozens of magic circles.

“I stand at the pinnacle of the Kempton continent. Yet you mere humans think you can eliminate me?”

Unlike other named magical beasts that had been subjugated or sealed, Ashpern alone remained alive, which is why he could be so confident.

He was merely bluffing.

“How foolish and weak humans are to put on such airs.”

-Woong.

“Try to interfere as many times as you want, I’ll shoot through them all! Your pitiful amount of mana wouldn’t even touch a hair on my body even if it were completely burned up!”

Numerous magic circles begin to cover the atmosphere. Even at a glance, there are easily more than twenty circles drawn.

If he pours in more mana than before to compensate for both speed and power, results like before would be impossible.

The loaded magic circles complete their preparation for firing. Following Ashpern’s gesture, they all fly toward Junon at once.

“…!”

But magic circles attack magic circles.

Nothing changed. Amidst the rising smoke, he stood there unharmed. Because Ashpern’s magic never reached him.

“Yes. As you said, humans are weak. But you know what?”

-Click!

“That’s precisely the contradiction you’ve created. Let me break it down.”

Junon grabbed the single spear that flew toward him with his mana-filled hand and shattered it on the spot.

To the bewildered Ashpern, Junon raises three fingers and begins to ask questions.

“Most magical beasts try to increase their size. Except for rare cases where formulas only activate when reducing body size, bulk is a symbol of power. Not only do all physical abilities increase, but the magical energy accumulated in the body also grows. But why do you have a build similar to me, a human?”

The first finger folds down.

“The power magical beasts use against human magic is undoubtedly the magical energy accumulated in their bodies. Based on that energy, all magical beasts respond to long-range magic according to their individual characteristics, developing powers that suit them. Acidic liquid, toxic mucus or gas, sharp thorns or poisonous stingers, flames shot from the mouth—in various ways. But why do you specifically use magic that converts magical energy into mana?”

Then the second finger.

“Language is also unnecessary for magical beasts. Instead of intelligence, only the instinct to become stronger, only the law of survival of the fittest dominates their brains. So why do you alone prioritize intelligence, choosing to learn through study and thought? And why do you desire a completely different goal like the destruction of humanity rather than hunger and the craving for power?”

Finally, the third finger.

When all fingers were folded, Junon delved into the core of these questions.

“Humans adopted methods that only they could choose because they were weak. But you’re not human. You can’t possibly understand the power of the weak.”

Junon says that choosing human power despite being a magical beast is what led to this result.

“Nonsense!”

He tries to fire the remaining magic circles, but the spear that Junon just broke was the last magic circle Ashpern had fired.

They’ve all disappeared. Despite being magic circles fired with twice the mana consumed previously.

“I can just use magic again! The methods of you weaklings mean nothing!”

There’s no need to be intimidated.

Since the difference in mana quantity is as vast as heaven and earth, there’s no way he could lose. Ashpern tried to activate magic circles again.

But.

“You can use them because you can copy human magic circles just by seeing them, right? You know that magic activates just by drawing the exact same shape. Right? But even if you increase the power, it’s the same result.”

-Kwaaang!

A radiation-type magic circle was fired toward an explosion-type magic circle. Of course, this wasn’t what Ashpern wanted.

“!! What is this…!”

“Sorry, but human magic circles aren’t that simple. If they were that simple, they’d be too easy to steal and use.”

Carelessly made, simple magic circles can be disrupted when they enter the range of another human’s mana.

Reverse calculation. Junon had effortlessly taken control of some of the circles.

-Crack!

“Ugh…! What is this…!”

Is it really because the magic circles are too simple? But Ashpern doesn’t know how to prevent losing control of the circles.

He couldn’t just watch as his magical energy was wasted attacking himself instead of the enemy. As the aim started to turn toward him, Ashpern had to cancel the magic immediately.

And gradually, a headache begins to set in. Along with dizziness so severe he could barely stand without leaning against a wall.

Why did this happen? All Ashpern did was fire magic indiscriminately.

‘Mana… it’s the mana!’

The reason for the dizziness was simple. The mana circuit wasn’t properly producing mana, so his body was bearing all the burden.

‘I never thought I’d have to use this with my own hands… but I have no choice!’

Among the human formulas obtained through the power of oblivion, there was one called the Sacrificial Offering Technique.

A method for humans to grow in the way of magical beasts, completely absorbing the magical energy of other living beings. With this method, Ashpern could also apply it to other magical beasts.

It was a link he had carved out of anxiety after being pushed back by Junon in the first battle at the Ripol River, but now he had no other option.

“The Sacrificial Offering Technique… is it.”

He had to use any means necessary to face Junon.

‘Good. My mana is restored.’

However, he couldn’t bombard with magic like before.

It would be useless to fire powerful spells only to have control of the circles stolen. So Ashpern decided to change his approach.

‘Right. I just need to use them before they’re broken or stolen!’

It doesn’t matter if they’re a bit weaker. The opponent seems somewhat dull to the emotion of fear. There was no need to waste effort; he just needed to increase the deployment speed.

As Ashpern resolved this and began drawing circles on both the ground and in the air,

-Ting!

The magic circles now began to shatter.

***

‘As expected.’

Ashpern is only pushing forward with his mana quantity alone.

Having observed this from afar multiple times, I could be certain.

Clearly, Ashpern has never experienced risk.

‘You couldn’t possibly understand the minds of the weak.’

Humans are weak.

Even when compared to predators like bears, crocodiles, or tigers, their physical abilities were far inferior.

So what choice did humans make?

‘Because they were weak, they made tools, and because they could still die with those, they made armor. But since one person alone was far from enough, they put their heads together and communicated through language. How could you understand the past of humans?’

The reason was simple.

To survive. To protect their lives from the strong.

‘Because they didn’t want to die. To defeat opponents stronger than themselves. They worked hard and mastered techniques with blood, sweat, and tears. You, born with everything, have probably never had to make an effort.’

But a being born in the position of the strong cannot understand the ideas of the weak.

That’s why Ashpern tries to cover all weaknesses with his strength in mana quantity, and lacking even this basic information, all of Ashpern’s magic circles invariably have their control stolen by the opponent.

-Crack! Ching!

“What kind of trick are you… ugh?!”

He probably never had a reason to regulate in the first place. Every time, he could eliminate any opponent just by pushing through with mana quantity.

“Ugh, damn it. What, what is this headache that feels like my head is going to split?”

Mana burst. A phenomenon that occurs when you forcibly try to consume more mana despite the mana circuit already being overloaded with producing mana, causing the body to bear all the burden.

The headache making Ashpern stagger is a typical symptom.

From the perspective of the strong, there was no reason to risk overload, a danger always present to the weak. After all, he could defeat any enemy within.

“Die, die quickly! I… I…!”

-Kwagwang!

“Ugh.”

Ashpern staggers and leans against a wall. Conversely, Junon stands unharmed once again.

“Don’t make me laugh!!!”

Ashpern, breathing heavily, was indignant.

“…You…! That I should be… to the likes of you…!”

A blue light began to emanate from the bodies of other magical beasts that had fallen into the sinkhole.

They were inscriptions I had seen many times before.

“The Sacrificial Offering Technique… is it.”

The Sacrificial Offering Technique is a formula that creates links. It creates a passage connecting the mana circuits with the marked target, allowing the caster to freely utilize transportation and conveyance at will.

However, for those having their mana stolen.

─Keeeeek!!

They writhe in pain and wither away. Just like the two people who had their mana stolen by Demian and the Lakans who had their mana stolen by Defornice.

Since Ashpern could no longer convert his magical energy into mana, he was absorbing the magical energy of his subordinates.

-Woong.

The magic circles had noticeably less mana than before. Perhaps realizing that magic circles above a certain level would be disadvantageous if reverse-calculated, Ashpern changed his strategy to push through with fast but weak magic circles in quantity.

Weakness.

There is always a way to defeat an opponent stronger than oneself.

Magic circles are no exception.

Since magic only activates when all mana is filled, the Alphade line, which is filled last, is truly the Achilles’ heel.

Like the nobles who caused position trouble at the academy, Ashpern didn’t know about the Alphade line.

-Clang!

Ashpern’s eyes widened.

“All of them… destroyed?”

Until now, he thought only a few couldn’t be broken. No, for such powerful magic, it was natural that only a few couldn’t be broken.

But.

To destroy dozens simultaneously?

Fear crept in. With magic, with this power that had helped Ashpern stand at the pinnacle until now.

He couldn’t help but think that he couldn’t defeat that man.

“Is that all? At the same level as when reverse-calculated, maybe three times, no, twice? I’m starting to realize that your mana quantity isn’t infinite either.”

“!!!”

“Moreover, you’ve ordered other magical beasts to destroy the imperial army, right? You must have been confident that you would never lose. So there’s essentially no other source of mana.”

In other words, once that mana is consumed, Ashpern won’t be able to use any magic.

To finish, Junon took his stance.

“This is checkmate, Ashpern.”

If he even understood the Sacrificial Offering Technique, it’s easy to guess where that knowledge came from.

Therefore, to the word checkmate…

“Don’t make me laugh!!”

-Chaeng!

It was natural for him to be indignant like this.

Checkmate. To Ashpern, it means defeat.

“Even if I can’t use magic, I, I will never lose to the likes of you!!!”

True to his word, Ashpern didn’t use magic. He lunged at Junon, wielding only a spear of magical energy that could inject the power of oblivion.

He intended to use all his remaining mana to strengthen his body and defeat Junon.

-Thud.

“Ugh?!”

-Swoosh!

But he’s pushed back. Ashpern barely blocks with his spear as Junon wraps his leg around the spear shaft and delivers a kick.

He was hit by a one-sided kick, not even a single exchange. Ashpern’s complexion gradually darkened as the ominous feeling that he might be pushed back began to creep in.

Technique and control would have been meaningless actions for Ashpern. He who had always pushed through with mana quantity alone never needed to make an effort.

“Wh-what on earth…”

“I told you. Because we were weak, we had to work hard. Did you think it was just about magic?”

But at this moment, this is the culprit for the huge gap that has formed.

Everything is as Junon predicted.

The human way, imitating the weak in a manner unsuited for the strong, was indeed Ashpern’s weakness.