episode_0252

Episode 252: Destiny (4)

There are two ways to stop a summoning ritual. Prevent the start itself. Or interrupt it midway.

What if you interfere after the ritual is complete? Of course, it’s too late then. The sacrifice has already been used in the summoning and disappeared, and the summoned being has revealed itself to the world.

The reason I chose the latter is because there is a significant advantage.

The former has the advantage of saving the sacrifice without any harm, but that’s all. Depending on the situation, there is a possibility of heading towards the worst outcome.

The latter harms the sacrifice, but if the timing is right, it has the advantage of harming the ritual conductor along with the ritual interruption.

The most effective and efficient way to harm him. That’s why I chose the latter.

The mansion reacted to the intrusion of an outsider like me. Hundreds of black magic spells poured down on me. Each one had a power of at least 7 circles. 8 circles were mixed in here and there, and some had power equivalent to 9 circles.

But there was nothing to worry about.

“Cough!”

Zeras Lindel spat out blood. It was because the ritual stopped midway. The failure of the summoning ritual has a greater backlash the more powerful the being you are trying to summon.

Moreover, Zeras Lindel is a black magician who reveres the Outer Gods. The pain from the backlash is beyond imagination.

However, the backlash was not as great as I expected. He only spat out blood and his arm was twisted. Of course, a black magician of his level would not have failed to anticipate this situation.

Anyway, thanks to that, 30% of the magic misfired. I fended off the incoming magic while observing the opponent’s reaction.

“……”

He looked at his dangling arm. Soon, black energy flowed out and the arm was restored to its original state. For his skill, such recovery would be as easy as breathing.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt. I’m used to pain.”

In the meantime, I put her down on the ground and cast a healing spell on her arm. The bones and muscles of both arms returned to their original state, making strange noises. As if to prove that what he said just now was not a lie, there was no change in expression. Even though the recovery process would be painful.

“Wait a moment. I’ll finish it quickly.”

“Okay. I understand.”

The senior nodded and moved away from me. Then, he turned his eyes to the source of her suffering.

Zeras Lindel. He, like me, was looking at me. He stood still and had not taken any action since restoring his arm.

My eyes meet his in the air. Neither of us opens our mouths first. Perhaps a battle of pride. That trivial and childish fight went back and forth. Then, finally, it was him who opened his mouth.

“I just thought we were close… I never thought you were that kind of relationship. Since when?”

“We were close. Enough to give this kind of help.”

I didn’t intend to continue the conversation for long. So, I cut him off, showing that I had no intention of talking.

“……”

He was silent. And instead of words, he showed it with actions.

Fsss-

Discharge of power. Black energy flows out from him. The ominous energy corroded the surrounding space just by revealing itself to the world.

Since ancient times, it has been said that a magician’s mana is influenced by the state of their mind. So, this was not strange, and at the same time, I could roughly grasp what kind of state of mind the black magician Zeras Lindel had.

“Kyle Arden, the Saint of the Holy Kingdom. I have heard of your skills. You have reached 8 circles in magic and mastered swordsmanship, haven’t you? And according to rumors…”

Zeras spoke calmly. His energy gradually swelled each time he uttered a word. The space is tingling.

“There was also a rumor that you killed a god.”

“……”

“I don’t know how much of that rumor is true or false… but in this mansion, my power rivals a god!”

Kwagagagaga!!

Energy explodes around him. His mana dominated the entire space, as if a bomb had exploded and the heat spread throughout the space. Within it, black magic caused a chain reaction, binding me.

Indeed, the power of an 8-circle magician. Moreover, not the beginning or middle, but the very end. Zeras Lindel’s level was already looking ahead.

Now knocking on the wall of the 9th circle. Perhaps this battle could break that wall and move on to the next level. But even if he reaches the 9th circle, it will not last forever. Because he will die today.

I swung my sword and cut down the magic. The magic was sliced ​​apart, and the flow was rearranged and headed in the opposite direction. Slightly more comfortable movements. I kept moving my sword, and with my other hand, I pressed down hard on the air.

[You have purchased ‘1st Unidentifiable Stone Piece’]

[You have purchased ‘2nd Unidentifiable Stone Piece’]

[You have purchased ‘3rd Unidentifiable Stone Piece’]

The stone piece series I found when I first got the store system. I bought them as soon as I saw them.

At first, I wondered if this would be of any use. The explanation was ambiguous, and it wasn’t written what it existed for.

Moreover, the price was a whopping 50,000 points. It would be better to buy other cost-effective and highly versatile items. Why would I buy this unidentified stone piece? No one in their right mind would ever buy it.

But recently, that thought has changed.

First of all, the stone piece series could only be purchased once. There was no limit to the number of purchases for other items, but the stone piece was the only one.

Also, the explanation [Something good might happen if you collect this?] It was suspicious, too suspicious. It was as if it was telling me to buy it no matter what.

There were no items in the store that intentionally highlighted their presence. They were just placed like products displayed on a shelf. In the meantime, it was strange that only the stone piece series showed uniqueness in the explanation.

Most of all, what made me suspect the stone piece series was the points they had been giving away recently. After the incident with Ariel, they gave me fame points by throwing out all sorts of titles.

For those three reasons, I sensed it. If I collect the stone piece series, something that will definitely help me will come out. Otherwise, there was no way the guy beyond the system would encourage me to buy these.

[You have purchased ’44th Unidentifiable Stone Piece’]

[Remaining Fame Points: 23,000 points!]

Finally, I bought all the stone pieces in the store. As a result, I used up almost all the points I had collected. I didn’t feel particularly bad.

Immediately afterwards, the system informed me.

[Bbambabbaam~ Congratulations! You have achieved the hidden item condition!]

At that moment, the 44 stone pieces shone and merged into one. A mysterious color like an elixir floated on the surface of the stone. And the system told me what it was.

[Hidden Item: Acquires ‘Philosopher’s Stone’!]

The moment I briefly lost my mind at the word [Philosopher’s Stone]. I held the one that appeared in front of me tightly in one hand. A stone of a different form from the one the senior made shone brightly in my hand.

Yes, what am I going to do from now on. I need something like this. Carefully holding the Philosopher’s Stone in my hand, I drew my sword from top to bottom.

Arden Swordsmanship Form 4 – Mana Destruction

A sword that suppresses space and time. Destroyed the mana contained within it. Shards of mana, torn to shreds, floated in the air, and the shards were as sharp as pieces of glass.

Unlike in the past, a technique performed with an 8-circle, master’s body. The completeness of the technique was on a different level than before, and I was able to show the full power contained in this technique.

In an instant, Zeras Lindel’s face is stained with embarrassment. This mansion was his absolute space, like a sanctuary. But at best, it was just a sham made of mana without any divinity.

Step by step, I slowly walked towards him.

In fact, I don’t have Zeras Lindel’s information in my head. All I knew was his name, and his information was mostly information that I inferred or found out by directly seeing and hearing things after I came to this world.

In the first place, the person named Zeras Lindel is a character who did not appear in ‘Arcane Heavenly Demon’. He is just an extra who is only known to be the father of the middle boss, Ruina Lindel. And that fact sounded different to me.

Characters and non-characters. Some may think it’s just a difference of one letter, but the difference is greater than you think. Because it means whether or not there is a role given in this world.

I sharpen the sword blade. I unfold unique magic. I weave them together and connect them to my soul.

“Zeras Lindel. Do you believe in destiny.”

“…Destiny is an illusion. Any destiny is helpless in the face of a powerful being.”

“Well, that’s true.”

The Outer Gods are powerful beings that can even twist and eliminate destiny as they please. So, it’s not unreasonable for him, who believes in the Outer Gods, to say such things.

“But I… believe in destiny.”

Unfortunately, I hated destiny, but at the same time, I believed in it. Because my origin started with destiny and ended with destiny.

That’s why I hated it even more. The fact that my existence was dragged around by destiny, and that my situation was ultimately forced to comply with destiny.

In that helplessness, I constantly pondered and eventually created it. A way to escape destiny.

A magic swordsman is someone who has mastered both magic and martial arts, two forces at the same time. But that power is ambiguous. Because if you don’t reach the extreme in either one, it’s just a useless power.

But if the two forces reach their extreme, then things change from there.

Magic is the power to twist the laws of the world, martial arts is the power to realize desires. And this is what a magic swordsman calls the power that combines the two forces.

The power to realize desires by twisting the laws of the world.

It just seems like the essence of the two forces is woven into one, but that’s actually right. But the power it holds is by no means negligible.

Absolute realization. That was the power of its meaning.

So….

“Zeras Lindel. Hand over your destiny.”

I drew Karasar horizontally over him.

Slash.

The sound of something being cut was heard.