Ruchellini’s Black Rose (6)

I hadn’t really considered how ‘this’ would be received. After all, just a few months ago, I had a track record of tearing up roads and blowing up hills with a flick of my wrist, so maybe I’d become a little desensitized.

Even when I was manipulating the rectangular blue magic circle, the agents’ expressions only showed bewilderment. But when the result of the tapping led to the collapse of the hill, their bewilderment turned to shock. It was probably because they had never heard of magic like this before.

In magic, the most important thing is ‘power,’ but the next most important thing is ‘originality.’ However, the two have always been treated as separate things.

There hadn’t even been an attempt to connect them. Rather, they were categorized. Mages, battle mages, magic scholars, alchemists, etc. They set their own roles and limitations and willingly walked into their own prisons.

It was a waste.

There was no need for that. Magic could manifest in any form. As long as the caster desired it, anything was possible, as long as it didn’t break the laws of nature. If you added inhuman techniques, you might even be able to move the world itself.

“Are you amazed? I don’t know what will happen if you’re surprised by something like this, are you going to be okay?”

I chuckled as I looked at the completely flattened rocky area.

Was it because I was too calm even before the fight, or was it because this absurd spectacle was hard for them to accept? Either way, I succeeded in seizing the initiative.

Only Shuriel wasn’t surprised. Was it because she had seen even more than this before? She seemed relatively better compared to the two who couldn’t hide their agitation.

“The stage is set, so shall we get moving? Ah, please tell me when you’re ready. I’ll be waiting here.”

Not only did I concede the first move, but I even showed余裕 (yoyuu – composure). Rael gritted his teeth and moved his position. He seemed quite offended, but I was only fulfilling Rael’s request. The three-on-one ganging-up plan was Rael’s idea.

I didn’t move an inch and waited for them to get ‘ready.’

Rael had already finished preparing a long time ago, and Shuriel didn’t need any special preparation because she relied on close combat. Only Pawin was moving. She fought using dozens of stigmata, so she would self-destruct without a sanctuary to reduce the pain.

She gestured to Rael and said.

“…I will set up a sanctuary. Rael, I need holy water.”

“Why when I’m here? Wait a minute. I’ll make it for you.”

Rael raised his hand and created a large water droplet. It wasn’t just water. It was holy water containing divine power. He threw the water droplet high into the sky and then burst it, scattering water in all directions. Chwaaaak! Rain began to fall on the sandy ground.

“Is that enough?”

He shook his head to shake off the water droplets.

“…Thank you.”

Pawin bowed her head to express her gratitude.

Is it possible to set up a sanctuary just by spraying holy water like that? The question pierced my head, but I would see it soon anyway. I buried the question neatly.

It wasn’t because I was arrogant that I gave them the first move and gave them time to exert their full power. Time was fair to everyone. While they were preparing, I ran hundreds, thousands, millions of simulations.

And I had an absolute advantage that couldn’t be overcome no matter what they did. I fidgeted with my hands and waited for the sanctuary to be set up.

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“…May the wicked not dare to invade this land, may God send down light.”

―Hwaaaak!!

As Pawin recited a short prayer, a bright yellow pillar of light soared up, cutting through the sunset. It was the installation of the sanctuary. She widened her half-closed eyes. She also straightened her slightly lowered head. Her whole body was tense. The painful groans she occasionally let out also completely stopped.

Pawin’s body shines. White light leaked out from between the thick armor. Inside the sanctuary, she was completely free from the side effects of the stigmata.

“…I have finished preparing. If you give the signal, I will respond immediately.”

She went back to her room and brought a long iron mace. A handle about the same length as Pawin’s height, with a sphere with sharp thorns at the end. I had a rough idea of what kind of ‘response’ she was talking about.

Shuriel, who had taken her beloved sword Caravan, stepped onto the sandy plain and said.

“Is everyone done?”

“Oh, suddenly acting like a leader?”

“I can’t make you the leader, can I?”

“Shut up. More than that, when are you going to start? Her legs must be hurting.”

I grabbed the hem of my skirt and bowed my head.

“Whenever.”

I was relaxed. But I wasn’t arrogant. Shuriel and Rael lowered their stances, holding their respective weapons.

“Pawin. Start.”

The moment Shuriel’s signal dropped, I absorbed the Mana around me. The cool breeze that was blowing stops. The Mana flowing under the ground and the Mana spread in the air all began to gather in one place. I am filled with Mana. My body and mind begin to be filled with abundant Mana.

“Red Witch Yujin of the Red Magic Tower.”

Pawin aimed her mace at me, who was floating upwards. Golden eyes shining. She, who always spoke a beat late, this time declared with a firm will.

“――From now on, I will designate you as a heretic.”

Designation as a heretic異端.

Angrid, who has the qualifications of an inquisitor, can designate the other party as a ‘heretic.’ The opponent designated as a heretic is subject to all sorts of restrictions within the sanctuary.

“Keuheup…!”

I shook off the unidentified energy that was trying to bind my mind and body and gathered Mana.

―Kuoong!

In an instant. Pawin and Shuriel kicked off the ground without hesitation. A sharp blade and a blunt thorn approached with transcendent speed. Both were attacks containing Aura, and they were attacks containing murderous intent. There was no hesitation in extending their weapons towards me. I accelerate my thoughts at their blatant movements.

I captured their positions in my eyes in the slowed-down world. Shuriel was on the right, and Pawin was wielding her weapon with a fierce face on the left. Shuriel was faster. I could avoid it simply by lowering my head. But if I avoided it like that, Pawin’s mace would fly in right away.

The time difference was so subtle and calculated that it was inevitable to be hit by a follow-up attack whether I lowered my head or backed away. Shuriel used her speed to create a blind spot.

Death is approaching. But death was too familiar to me. I smile slightly at the rush of the blade, which even feels affectionate. I released magic power while floating in the air.

‘Distort.’

―Peoeoeong!!!

“Keuek!”

“Kkyahuk!”

Just before the blade reached my neck, space twisted and caused a huge explosion. Shuriel, who was pushed back by the shock wave, flew away, and Pawin, who was following, flew away in succession. This was not the kind that could be resisted. Space was momentarily distorted and unfolded in an instant. The two of them were bounced back by the reaction that occurred when space was restored.

“Rael――!!!”

Kadeudeudeuk!! Shuriel shouted, planting her blade into the ground.

“These morons…! Who jumps in first without receiving a blessing?!”

Far away. Prukaise, who was quietly raising divine power with his hands in his pockets, was visible. Blue light surrounded Shuriel’s body, and bright yellow light surrounded Pawin’s body. He was constantly reciting prayers and giving unknown blessings.

I don’t know what kind it is. However, it was very similar to the blessing of the Paladin that Serti had given me before. A war anthem that reduces pain and increases recovery. He gave more than five other blessings at the same time.

I wasn’t going to just watch that. Since I conceded the first move, it was my turn to go out. ―Kwadeudeuk!! I lifted one arm and pulled out the ground. The earth moves according to my will. I scoop up a house-sized pile of dirt and throw it at Rael as it is.

―Swaeeeeek!

Half-moon半月. A blue trail leaves a mark, drawing a half-moon. The lump of dirt that flew away, causing a sonic boom, did not reach Rael. The lump of dirt, split exactly in half, hit his sides. Kwahng! A tremendous noise and dust obscure the view. It was Shuriel who split the lump of dirt.

It was okay. There were plenty of opportunities. I had an advantage that could offset all of their advantages. The advantage that this place is a ‘plain area.’ The agents bitterly realized what that meant. A mage who uses magic without spatial restrictions was a disaster in itself.

The mage’s offensive did not stop there. Hwareureuk! I snapped my fingers and created a fireball. Flames as hot as lava. Thousands of fireballs cover the sky. The bright red flames swallowed the sacred light created by the sanctuary.

‘Meteor.’

I raise my right hand high. Everyone could guess the next action. Lower your hand and give them hellfire. Thousands of fireballs falling, burning the air, were like the end of the world.

―Hwiieeeeing!!!

“Everyone, get out of the way――!!!”

Shuriel shouted, infusing Aura into her sword. She could cut through dozens of fireballs, but the problem was the remaining nine hundred and ninety fireballs. She could protect herself, but she couldn’t protect Rael. Rael was still reciting prayers.

“I will knock them down!”

Pawin kicked off the ground, infusing divine power into her mace. Woong! The more divine power she infused into the mace, the larger it became. The mace, which greedily sucked in the power of God, became as big as a building and was soon swung at the fireballs. She sends the fireballs flying as if a batter hits a ball.

―Peoeoeong!!!

“Rael, where’s Rael?!”

“We need to move the position! Shuriel! You can’t stand there!”

Half of the fireballs exploded in the air. Rael was safe. Instead, the ground, which was directly hit by the remaining half, melted as it was, spewing out hot air reminiscent of a lava zone. The Sierra rocky area, which had instantly turned into hell. They hesitated to breathe and held their weapons.

I looked down at the chaotic floor and prepared the next magic. There were thousands of ways to kill the agents, but―― I wouldn’t use them unless I was crazy, and I shouldn’t use them. Then, instead of death, I had to give them overwhelming power, an overwhelming power that would be impossible without believing.

“Can you believe it now?”

I know they can’t hear me, but I whisper quietly. I was not going to allow any attacks in this battle except for the first move.

There was one magic that was perfect for that. It was something that only transcendents who had reached the end of magic could use, something that only those who had lost the meaning of the body at the end of transcendence could use.

‘Etherealization.’

The user’s complete mental state was very important for Etherealization. Otherwise, an ironic situation would occur where you would be eaten by yourself.

Since it was about giving up the body and returning to the raw mental state, I had no choice but to react more sensitively to my emotions.

If you attempt Etherealization with an unstable and distorted mind―― you would have to live in the world as a half-ethereal being forever without even thinking about returning.

It was impossible for me in the past.

But it was different now.

I found peace of mind.

It didn’t matter what method it was.

‘Give up the body.’

I created a huge vortex and hid my body. I take a breath in the middle of the eye of the storm. The senses gradually fade. The body disappears first, and the clothes I was wearing fall into the vortex and turn into powder.

‘I remember the structure of the clothes, so I can make them again.’

I feel regret as I look at the vanished clothes. I wasn’t confused even though I had entered Etherealization. The fact that I thought about the broken clothes first meant that my mind was stable. My masochistic tendencies were still gnawing at my body, but even so, I could call this ‘normal.’

Peace of mind came to the Arch Mage.