Presence
by Afuhfuihgs
Luna, who was blankly alone in the club room, snapped out of it at the sound of someone opening the door and entering. The person she met eyes with was Eunice, with her orange curly hair.
“Luna, it’s been a while. I know you have a lot of questions, but let’s go together for now. I’ve prepared a carriage. I’ll explain everything there.”
“…Okay, I understand.”
Luna, still thinking this situation is like a dying person’s flashback, didn’t bother refusing Eunice’s suggestion. She figured there must be a reason why Eunice appeared in her dream.
As Luna followed Eunice out of the club room, she turned back to look at it with a strange feeling. She had a weird feeling that this would be the last time.
She didn’t know why she felt that way about the club room, a precious space for her and the club members, but Luna meticulously captured the last 모습 (moseup, appearance) of the club room in her memory.
“Luna? Why, is there something you need to grab?”
“Wait, just a moment…!”
At Eunice’s question, Luna suddenly remembered something and headed to her frequently used desk. Inside a small box she took out from the desk drawer was an acorn she had received from Ross sometime ago. Seeing the acorn, Luna recalled what Ross had told her.
‘Keep it. I think you might need it next time.’
Luna tried to remember what she had said before hearing those words… but with Eunice urging her, she decided to get on the carriage first and think about it later.
***
The Cult Leader, who had fallen from the massive shockwave and the ominous energy emanating from the blue eyes, hurriedly used the power of chaos to create a barrier.
Kwaaaaaaang―――!
Even chaos, which has the power to destroy the very nature of magic, couldn’t withstand the storm of magic that was no different from a natural disaster. As the Cult Leader, whose body was torn apart once again, reconstructed his body, Ross of Transcendence scratched his head and said with a puzzled expression.
“Was that the twentieth time I’ve killed you? I’ve killed you so many times I’m getting confused.”
Not twenty times. The Cult Leader, who had experienced death from the aftermath of the magic alone, had reconstructed his body dozens of times. Gritting his teeth at the incomprehensible strength of his opponent, the Cult Leader calmed his emotions and said.
“…It’s a futile effort. No matter what you do, you, an outsider, can never remove me from the story.”
“I know. No matter what I do, it’s impossible to completely kill you, who has the setting of being an ambiguous existence. That’s something only Roel can do.”
“Are you still doing this foolish thing even knowing that? You’re only delaying the destruction of all worlds for a short time.”
Ross smiled brightly at the Cult Leader’s reaction, who couldn’t understand Ross’s futile actions.
“Ah, I don’t know about that. I just have a personality where I have to beat up anyone I don’t like before my stress builds up. You could say it’s my own know-how for overcoming Ross’s depression?”
“That just means you’re a fool who’s dragged around by your own emotions.”
“Coming from someone who got voice-phished by some Chaos God or whatever, whose identity I don’t even know, that’s not really something you should be saying, is it? You still don’t even think you’re a victim. It’s truly pathetic.”
The Cult Leader, thinking that Ross in front of him was someone he couldn’t relate to at all, reconstructed the completely shattered chakram and prepared for the next fight. Ross would definitely not stop fighting.
The Cult Leader admitted that he couldn’t win against his opponent. But knowing that his opponent could never win against him either, he simply intended to repeat death until this meaningless fight was over.
“…!”
Until the restrictions of causality placed on the Cult Leader disappeared.
“Huh…? What, you died like that and suddenly it’s phase 2? Do you think I don’t know this is just the game company’s scheme to increase play time!”
Ross immediately noticed that the restrictions that existed on the Cult Leader had disappeared. The Cult Leader, now able to use chaos completely freely, raised the corners of his mouth.
“I see. Bella must be dead. Our foolish Last One must have belatedly realized who the real culprit who killed his beloved lover is… Or perhaps it was a judgment that he couldn’t give me the last remaining vessel of God….”
The Cult Leader, drawing out the power of unrestrained chaos, aimed the chakram at Ross.
“Hehe, even if Bella dies, the advent of God cannot be stopped. So I will allow you to quietly return to your world. Of course, once everything is over here, you will have to wait in despair every day for me to completely end your insignificant world that I have forgotten.”
Ross, frowning at the Cult Leader’s provocative words, gave a bitter smile.
“Hey, wanna know a secret? You know, you have to share secrets to get close, right?”
Instead of answering, the Cult Leader abruptly swung the chakram at Ross. He judged that even if he listened, he would only hear worthless words like before.
Tung―
“…?”
The Cult Leader’s chakram was futilely blocked by Ross’s hand. Ross, nonchalantly grabbing the chakram that had lost all its chaos and momentum, raised one corner of his mouth.
“You know. Since becoming a Transcender, I’ve never once….”
The Cult Leader’s eyes widened even more at the countless formulas floating on the magic that enveloped Ross’s fist. There was a reason why he called Ross a fool. He was so focused on killing him that Ross in front of him hadn’t done any mana management, which was important for a magician.
The Cult Leader, who had expected Ross to be running out of mana soon since he had repeated large-scale magic that consumed a lot of mana several times, shouted without realizing it at the combined magic of dozens of spells that Ross was using again.
“Did you steal Flavia’s infinite mana! If you thought you could stop me with just that―”
Tak-!
The Cult Leader blankly stared at Ross, not understanding what he had just been subjected to. Ross, annoyed by the interruption, slapped the Cult Leader’s forehead with his palm and showed him the gauntlet shape made of magic, saying again.
“I’ve never once run out of mana… Ah, you son of a bitch! I was trying to set the mood and reveal my precious secret like revealing my Bankai, but you weirdly interrupted me there, so the mood is ruined! I didn’t steal it! It’s my talent!”
“…Did you just, did a bug like you just dare to hit my head?”
Ross, frowning at the Cult Leader’s shocked expression, suddenly smiled.
“It does feel good on the hand, now that I think about it. Is that why Ellie hits me so often?”
The Cult Leader could no longer contain his anger. Ross in front of him was the kind of human he hated so much.
「I will sincerely kill you—!!!」
Finally, as the Cult Leader drew out all the power he had and revealed his complete presence, Ross gave an invisible, subtle smile to the Cult Leader.
‘The Cult Leader’s ambiguity has disappeared. Good, I’ve done enough with this.’
Ross shrugged his shoulders after checking the state of the runes on his wrist and confirming that he was ready to return to where he was at any time.
“No, I should still beat him up a bit more before I go.”
Ross raised his index finger.
[Maelstrom―――!]
***
Luna, riding in the carriage, tilted her head with a bewildered expression at the scene outside the window. The portal station was full of people. Everyone had a lot of luggage, as if they were about to leave somewhere, and they were lining up to enter the portal station.
However, the carriage Luna was in didn’t need to wait in line and could pass them by, entering through the back door of the firmly closed portal station. Some people who saw the carriage Luna was in entering the portal station hurriedly tried to follow, but were caught by the Imperial Guardian Golem that appeared from somewhere.
“What, what’s going on…?”
“They’re evacuating. Everyone is scared and running away to other places because of the Emperor’s words that they could be caught up in the fighting and die if they stay in the capital. Actually, they were told to evacuate a few days ago, but the nobles thought it was a common power struggle and still haven’t left. So the Emperor issued an order to forcibly exile them from the capital, so the people who were left behind are belatedly leaving.”
“Evacuating…?”
Luna wanted to ask what they were trying to evacuate from, but she couldn’t ask because the carriage had stopped just in time. As Luna got out of the carriage following Eunice, Eunice, scratching her freckled nose, briefly explained.
“We’re not going to the South, but to the North. The Frax family has decided to protect you.”
“Protect me…?”
“Yeah, the direct portal is open, so let’s move quickly. The connection to the portal could be cut off if we’re late.”
Luna, about to move her steps at Eunice’s urging, couldn’t hold back any longer and opened her mouth.
“What the hell is going on? Is Ross okay?”
Eunice, who was walking ahead, stopped abruptly at Luna’s question. Eunice, slowly turning her body towards Luna, gave a bright expression.
“Yeah, Ross is fine! You don’t need to worry at all.”
“…Okay.”
Luna sighed inwardly at the noisy interior of the portal station and Eunice’s smile, which felt out of place.
Thinking that there were too many people lying to her in this illusion.
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