episode_0186

Ruan leaped to his feet.

‘Is she okay?’

Even for Isis, the explosion just now was an unavoidable attack.

As he anxiously stared at the arena, the thick ice fog settled, revealing the scene within.

In the center was an egg.

The egg, made of transparent ice, was translucent, and Isis was huddled inside. It felt as if she was trying to resist the cold, and for a moment, anger towards Skadia surged.

Just as he was about to rush out, Isis flinched, then swung her spear, breaking the egg and emerging from it. Her entire body was enveloped in thick protective aura.

“Haa… that attack was quite fierce.”

Perhaps because the spectators were all silent, Isis’s words were clearly audible. Steam continuously puffed from her mouth.

“As expected, this much won’t be enough. Friuli’s mana cultivation method has high resistance to ice attributes, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right. We had to adapt to the northern regions. More importantly, you’re not planning to end it here, are you?”

“Of course. You’d better not think about holding back now!”

A resounding crash!

Freezing magic poured down without a moment’s rest.

Isis, though not particularly distinctive, deflected every single one of them with extremely efficient and powerful spear techniques. As if she had decided to exert her full power, she advanced, tearing everything apart with her thick aura.

After that, the two clashed for a long time.

When the surroundings were entirely covered in ice, and the fight gradually became too intense to be considered an exhibition match, both made their decisive move.

“Try taking this one too!”

Skadia, who had squeezed out all her mana to complete the Ice Butterfly, stretched out her hand forcefully. The beautiful ice butterfly flew in a strange trajectory, bending this way and that, at a speed difficult for even dynamic vision to follow.

Isis did not back down. Taking a deep breath and focusing her mind, she enveloped herself in a solid aura and shot forward.

Finally, the Ice Butterfly and the spear collided.

Boom!

The cold air exploded, and in an instant, the entire surrounding area was covered in ice.

In that moment of tension, Isis emerged through the thick fog and extended her spear.

Whoosh!

The spear tip stopped an inch from Skadia’s chest.

Their eyes met.

“Did it help?”

“…Thanks to you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

As Isis retrieved her spear, Skadia, who had been retreating, stumbled and fell. Her thighs trembled. Her face, pale, indicated that her mana was depleted.

Isis extended her hand.

“Take it.”

“……”

“Come on. Do you want everyone to know that we really fought seriously?”

“…No. I’ll accept your kindness.”

Just as Skadia, having given up her petty stubbornness, was about to take Isis’s hand.

Rumble!

Suddenly, the sky rumbled, and darkness, like a rising storm cloud, dyed everything black and enveloped the arena. With amplifying unease, a black pillar of light descended like a meteor towards the elevated seats.

Tremble!

Thick demonic energy formed a solid, rectangular wall. The vice-dean immediately activated an 8th-tier fire magic spell and struck the wall, but it only trembled slightly, with no significant impact. With this, the elevated seats were completely isolated from the outside.

At the same time, as if they had been waiting, dark cultists wearing black robes surged out from all the passages. They formed an encirclement to prevent anyone from escaping.

“Damn it…”

Ruan finally realized.

That they had been targeting the tournament finals from the beginning. The information about them infiltrating the festival, and the professors leaving in the middle, were all nothing more than diversionary tactics.

The question was, what was their objective?

As if to answer his question, two figures, a man and a woman, appeared in the air in the center of the arena. The woman had her robe pulled down deeply, making her identity unknowable, but the man was very familiar. Though his hair wasn’t visible, his noble blue eyes and the mask, identical to the one he himself wore, exuded an aristocratic aura.

It was the Apostle, Ethan Gloucester. He leisurely surveyed the entire arena before speaking.

[Greetings, everyone. I am one of the Apostles of the Dark Cult, approximately… hmm… known as the Golden Ghost. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.]

His overly exaggerated bow. His smirking smile clearly revealed his intention to toy with his opponents.

At that moment, the Crown Prince shouted in defiance.

“What do you want, you scoundrel!”

As expected, perhaps because he had consumed many elixirs since childhood, his mana reserves were astounding, and his voice echoed throughout the entire arena.

However, Ethan Gloucester did not answer the Crown Prince meekly.

[Hahaha! Why the rush? Why don’t you relax a bit?]

“Don’t be ridiculous! You don’t have all the time in the world either, do you? Isn’t there a reason you dispersed the guard forces?”

The Crown Prince, seeming to have reached the same conclusion, hit Ethan’s weak point.

Ethan nodded compliantly.

[You managed to figure that out. That’s right. I don’t have much time. Well then, I suppose there’s no choice. Shall we get straight to the point?]

Snap!

Ethan snapped his fingers. Then, the woman behind him removed her robe, revealing her face.

Her emerald green hair fluttered in the wind.

“Re-Remian?”

The Crown Prince’s eyes were filled with shock, having encountered his fiancée at an unexpected moment.

“It’s been a while, Your Highness.”

“Wh-Why are you there?”

The Crown Prince, still seemingly unable to face reality, asked an obvious question. Remian, with a faint smile, replied with a question of her own.

“Shouldn’t I be here?”

“Of course not! Get away from him at once! It’s not too late yet!”

It was already clear that Remian had colluded with an Apostle of the Dark Cult. However, if she stopped cooperating now and instead fought on the Academy’s side, the Crown Prince’s power would be sufficient to cover up her actions.

But it seemed that wasn’t important to Remian. Only one thing was important to her.

“Then, will you love me?”

“…What did you say?”

“If I stop, will you love me?”

Only the Crown Prince’s love.

At Remian’s question, the Crown Prince shook his head as if unable to understand.

“Is that important right now? This is tantamount to treason…”

“It is important!!”

Her hysterical shout cut off the Crown Prince’s words. Remian gasped for breath, then pleaded, spilling her true feelings.

“I only need Your Highness’s love. I don’t need anything else. Do you know that?”

“……”

“You don’t, do you? That’s right. Your Highness was always like that. You only thought of yourself. That’s why, even when I whispered my love, Your Highness’s gaze was always elsewhere.”

Remian’s gaze turned towards Isis. After glaring for a long time, she looked back at the Crown Prince and continued.

“Still, I thought it would be fine if I tried. I thought if I composed myself and diligently refined myself, Your Highness would at least look at me once.”

“Remian.”

“But that wasn’t it, was it? Your Highness doesn’t love me. Never will! So… I want to inflict the same sorrow upon you. So that you can never, ever forget me.”

Remian turned her back.

Hum!

Simultaneously, thick demonic energy began to emanate profusely from her entire body. It was very murky, but on an enormous scale.

The Crown Prince hastily reached out, facing a level of power that Remian, in her current state, could not possibly handle.

“Re-Remian. Stop right there! Stop!”

Did his restraint work?

Remian, who had been flying towards Isis, paused. She gazed at the Crown Prince and smiled, her lips twisting into a grotesque upturn.

“Who is that for?”

“What did you say?”

“For me? Or… for that woman?”

“That is…”

“I know. It’s not for me, is it? Thank you. Thanks to that, I think I can kill her without any regrets.”

As if shaking off her last lingering attachment, Remian descended towards Isis, her eyes filled with immense murderous intent and hatred.

Isis hid the mana-depleted Skadia behind her and blocked Remian’s path.

“Remian. Stop. Quit here.”

“Even you are saying such things? Don’t you know that just makes me angrier?”

“What do you intend to gain by killing me? Nothing will change even if you do.”

“No, it will change. Many things will change. At least it’s better than living like this, having accomplished nothing.”

“But…”

To risk her own life, as well as the existence of her family, for such a small change was an incredibly foolish act. As Isis was about to say that, Remian’s voice pierced into her mind.

“—Stop with your pathetic persuasion. Shut up and grab your spear. Or shall I spread the fact that you’re a dirty woman who clings to her own blood relatives throughout the entire country?”

“H-How did you… Ah!”

Isis, who stammered in shock, realized that Remian had been eavesdropping a few days ago when she spoke with the Crown Prince. That was likely the decisive reason she joined the Dark Cult.

Isis, her mouth tightly shut, took a combat stance with sorrowful eyes.

“Let me tell you now. You can’t defeat me with mere strength.”

“Oh really? Why don’t you experience it for yourself before you think about that? I’m not the same as I used to be.”

Swish!

Remian drew her sword from her waist. Unlike the sword she usually used, this one, laden with demonic energy, glowed with an ominous red light. The demonic energy fluttering from her entire body and the demonic energy emanating from the sword intertwined, swelling greatly as if resonating.

Isis recognized its true nature.

“A demonic sword, then.”

“That’s right. A very powerful demonic sword. Do you understand now? That this isn’t the time for you to pity me. Well then, let’s see if you can endure this!”

With a shout, Remian surged forward. It was an incredible speed, appearing as a blurred afterimage even to Isis’s eyes, who was superior in skill. Only the ominous red light of the demonic sword left a long trail in her wake.

Clang!

Finally, the two clashed. Isis, who had blocked the demonic sword, momentarily stumbled as her vitality was instantly drained away. She quickly regained her balance, but could not hide her surprise.

Remian smiled spitefully.

“Do you regret it now? This demonic sword absorbs the vitality of whoever it touches. Simply clashing with it means a loss for you.”

“……”

“Of course, there’s a lot more to it!”

As much as the demonic sword absorbed the opponent’s vitality, it seemed to amplify the wielder’s physical strength, and when Remian exerted force, Isis felt an immense burden. When Isis gave up the standoff and retreated, Remian swung her sword.

Roar!

A tremendous amount of demonic energy surged forward like a wave. Centered around the wave, the surrounding land turned black and became corrupted.

Isis hastily leaped into the air.

“I knew you would!”

And in that spot, as if she had been waiting, was Remian, holding her demonic sword aloft. The demonic sword descended like a guillotine.

Crash!

“Ugh!?”

Isis hastily raised her spear to block the blow, but could not deflect all the impact. A bird without wings cannot fly. She was ultimately flung back and fell to the ground.

What awaited her was the wave of demonic energy.

“Ah…”

Crush!

With a small sigh, Isis’s body was swallowed whole by the wave.