Volume 8
Chapter 41
The path to Arcazam opened, along with the shattered mirror. As Nozomu leaped into the hole torn in the white light, his eyes saw the hundreds of rooftops spreading out below him, the giant south gate, and the two main roads leading into Arcazam's city streets. He had emerged dozens of meters in the air, right above the south gate.
"If I mess up
this landing, I'm dead..."
He timed it, swinging
his katana in quick succession. Ki
technique: Fan Sail Lotus. Using
the membranes of ki he created as footholds to kill his momentum, Nozomu landed
on the ground. Where he landed, Mars and Feo were staring at him with
expressions of pure shock.
"Appearing from
the sky like that... what the hell happened?"
"Well, a lot...
Sorry, right now..."
"There's no time,
right? Can you do something?"
Nozomu winced at
Mars's serious tone but pushed his feet forward. His destination was, of
course, Shina, who wasn't reacting even as her friends called to her.
"Nozomu, Shina
is..."
"Leave the rest
to me."
Gently entrusting the
tearful Mimuru to Tima, Nozomu stood before Shina. Seeing her blank expression,
staring into the void, he felt anger welling up from his chest.
"Get away, you
source of calamity! Do not touch my great-granddaughter!"
Triforium, who had
sealed Shina's mind, roared at the appearance of the one he saw as the root of
this problem. The old elf, his spirit magic sealed by Laurus and separated from
Shina, still felt the same love for his great-granddaughter. At the same time,
he showed an undisguised rage toward the one who had changed her so. His
actions—claiming to treasure her, yet sealing her mind to drag her away—and his
anger only further stoked Nozomu's own.
"Hoo..."
He took a deep breath,
calming the anger that threatened to overwhelm his reason. The important thing
now wasn't to vent his anger at the old man. It was to free Shina from her
prison. And to save Irisdina, who was on the verge of becoming a ghoul. Nozomu
looked into Shina's eyes again. He thought he saw a faint flicker, deep within
those empty, unseeing pupils. He focused his consciousness on the spirits
surrounding Shina. The spirits' connection, clinging to her and sealing her
mind, was strong. To Nozomu, it felt as if hard, wooden vines were wrapped
tightly around her entire body.
(To tear away spirits
bound by such a strong contract...)
Nozomu could sense
spirits, but he couldn't communicate with them. He desperately lacked the
aptitude. If so, there was only one thing he could do. Nozomu steeled himself
and put his hand on the chains that bound him. The elemental essence Tiamat possessed. The spirits were terrified of
that alien, heretical power, dyed in hatred. This power might be able to
scatter the spirits sealing Shina's mind. But at the same time, it was an act
that would completely expose the secret he had hidden so long. There were still
unrelated civilians and guards nearby. But he couldn't think of any other way
to save this girl than releasing his Soul-Sealing
Chains. Shina might not have wanted him to do this. But still, Nozomu did
not hesitate.
"You've saved me
so many times. So now... it's my turn to save you."
He tore the Soul-Sealing Chains apart with all his
might. CRACK! The sound of breaking
chains echoed, and simultaneously, a vast amount of elemental essence began to erupt from Nozomu's body.
"!"
Tiamat's elemental essence suddenly began to
rage, swirling as it rose to the heavens. At this expression of overwhelming
power, the spirits enveloping Shina fell into a panic and fled in all
directions.
"Ah..."
Light returned to
Shina's empty eyes. The cage that had imprisoned her was broken, and with it,
her sealed heart was set free. As the light returned, her cheeks flushed
crimson.
"Thank
goodness..."
"You... idiot..."
"Yeah, I know.
But... you know, don't you?"
Even as she repeated
the words "What a sly person"
inwardly, Shina's heart pounded relentlessly, and a blush spread across her
face. The person she had yearned for had returned. The face of the person she
loved, whom she had wanted to see so desperately. She had been so prepared, but
just seeing him like this made all her tragic resolve and determination melt
away. He really is a cruel man, she
thought.
"... Give me strength..."
"It's okay. I
know. Let's go."
I want your
cooperation. While interrupting his words mid-sentence, Shina smiled. Now that his Soul-Sealing Chains were broken, she
didn't need words to know his heart, connected to hers by the Blood Pact Ritual. No, even without
that, she knew what he was going to do next.
"Mars, I'm
counting on you!"
"Counting on
me—Hey!"
Before Mars could even
reply, Nozomu scooped Shina up into his arms and kicked off the ground. He
rocketed down the road from the south gate to the commercial district, the
impact blowing the ground apart. Then, as soon as he reached the urban area, he
leaped. Using the roofs of the houses lining the street as a foothold, he
headed straight for the Francilt Mansion. The people of the city, hearing the
shockwaves and roars, looked up in shock. They were struck dumb by the sight of
Nozomu, streaking through the air, scattering a massive amount of elemental essence. His secret was now
completely exposed, but he couldn't have cared less.
"...You found
out?"
Shina, held in
Nozomu's arms, whispered. It was clear she was referring to the meaning of the Blood Pact Ritual.
"Ah... about
that..."
"It's fine. It's...
what I wanted to do."
In truth, she had
performed the ritual for Nozomu's sake, but it was also what she herself had
wanted. It was a one-sided contract. And the heat and feelings inside her had
longed to connect with him through the ritual. But that one-sidedness had been
a thorn in her heart.
"Still... let me
say it. Thank you."
"...Okay."
Nozomu's words gently
wiped away that last, lingering doubt. The elven girl, finally able to unburden
herself, smiled brightly and rested her body against his chest. As if
entrusting her entire being to him.
"Hah!"
Nozomu blasted through
Arcazam, crossing the commercial district and reaching Central Park in mere
seconds. But the unleashed power of Tiamat was steadily accumulating damage
deep in his body. He had to reach the Francilt mansion, and fast. At that
moment, countless magic bullets rained down on him from head-on.
"!"
He instantly leaped
sideways, dodging the storm of magic. The bullets shattered the stone pavement,
scattering debris.
"Wh-What!?"
"That's
probably..."
"It has been a
while, Nozomu-dono."
"I knew it was
you... Rugato-san."
The one who appeared
was the old butler with the monocle: Rugato, Vitora's right-hand man, who had
once tried to take Somia's soul along with the furnace. The vampire butler,
dressed in a crisp suit, was waiting on the roof of a building where Central
Park met the administrative district. He had likely been ordered by Vitora to
stop Nozomu. Nozomu scowled at Rugato, who looked down on him. There was no
time. As he wasted time here, Irisdina's life was ticking away, and his own
body was being eaten by Tiamat's power. But breaking through this old man would
be difficult. He was a formidable enemy, boasting the immense magic power of a
vampire and the skill to wield ten spells at once. Having fought him once
before, Nozomu knew Rugato's strength all too well. Rugato raised his hands,
his magic power flaring. His fingers moved with the delicate precision of a
master pianist, instantly forming multiple magic circles in the air. He's coming! Nozomu tensed. The moment Rugato's
magic circles lit up... a fierce gale assaulted the old butler from the side.
"Mmph!"
The spiraling wind
tore off the top of the building, its jaws widening to swallow Rugato. The
rubble caught in the wind's fangs was instantly pulverized. It was a technique
Nozomu had seen before.
"Seriously...
Don't just run off without listening. It was a pain to chase you."
"Mars! You... How
did you..."
Nozomu turned at the
sound of Mars's sighing voice. There stood Mars, who he'd left back at the
south gate. Impossible. Nozomu's Soul-Sealing
Chains were currently undone. His physical abilities were in a league of
their own, even among S-Ranks.
"Well, I've got a
little secret. Look, you don't have time, right? Leave this old man to me and
go."
Mars waved his hand,
urging Nozomu to go on. He had a mountain of questions, but it was also true
that every second counted. Swallowing his questions, Nozomu dashed for the
Francilt mansion.
"I will not allow
it."
"That's my
line."
Rugato fired five
magic bullets to block Nozomu, but Mars jumped into their path. His greatsword,
swung with one left hand, was clad in a blade of wind. It roared, shattering
all five of Rugato's bullets in a single strike.
"!"
At the sight of Mars,
who was exhibiting physical abilities on par with the boy who had once
overwhelmed him, Rugato's usually transcendent expression hardened.
"That power...
You did not have it before. What on earth..."
"Nozomu isn't the
only one who's been growing."
Mars slowly unwrapped
the sling from his right arm. Revealed was a tattoo, etched from his shoulder
to his upper arm. It was a diagram modeled after the swirling winds of the
atmosphere, meant to control the raging energy generated by the magic-ki
combined technique. It was an evolution of the formula Tom had once carved on
his gauntlet, further developed with Tima's help.
"This is... a
fusion of magic and ki techniques..."
"Here I come. You
beat me down last time. This is the rematch."
The magic-ki combined
technique, perfectly controlled through Mars's unrelenting training and the
formula from Tom and Tima, activated. Both magic and ki-based physical
enhancements activated, drastically increasing their effect. Faced with Mars,
who now wore an aura to rival even Nozomu Bountis, Rugato cast aside all
restraint and unleashed his fastest magic.
***
Vitora's blood poured
into Irisdina. She desperately endured the pain in her neck, a feeling like
insects crawling under her skin. But Vitora's power, creaking as it invaded her
body, brushed aside Irisdina's resistance like a drifting leaf and continued
its consumption.
"Guuuuuuh!"
Letting out a pained
voice, Irisdina bit her lip, trying to hold onto her consciousness. The
condition for becoming a ghoul was for the recipient's will to break under the
vampire's power. The moment she lost consciousness would be the moment her soul
lost to Vitora's power, the moment she fell and became a ghoul.
"Ane-sama!"
Somia, who was beside
her, held out her hands, pouring her own magic into her sister's body, trying
to slow the invasion. But her magic was instantly overwhelmed by Vitora's
blood.
"No use. My power
is not just magic, but elemental essence.
Such dragonfly-like magic could never stop it."
(Mother...!)
Somia cried out to her
late mother in her heart. She had always been the one protected. That's why,
this time, she wanted to save the sister who had always protected her. As if in
response to her inner voice, a light, different from magic, pure white and
shining, began to overflow from her body.
"Hoh..."
What overflowed from
Somia was the light of pure white elemental
essence. The pure power of the soul. It was the power of the magic tool her
mother had once used to offer her own soul for her daughter, who was about to
be stillborn. The original source of this whole incident. Somia was now using
the power of that tool, which had saved her life at the cost of her mother's,
to save her sister.
"I recall... you
assimilated with the Soul Flame Furnace.
I see. That explains why you can use elemental
essence, the power of the soul."
Vitora watched with
amusement, stroking her slender chin, as Somia unconsciously began to use the
power of the assimilated tool.
"Still... it is
not enough."
It still wasn't enough
to push back Vitora's power. The black, vein-like lines spreading from
Irisdina's neck slowed, but they continued to spread, up her face and over her
body. And, from the invading magic, Irisdina's pure white hair slowly began to
turn silver. As if reflecting the image of her 'parent,' Vitora.
"Ane-sama, hang
in there!"
"Kuh...
uuuuuuh!"
Irisdina fought back
at Somia's cry. But contrary to her will, her consciousness began to fade. Her
vision blackened from the edges, and her hearing grew distant. Finally, her
vision went black, leaving only a pinprick of light. Despair. If she became a
ghoul, Somia would be the first victim. Suicide. Such a word surfaced.
Irisdina's hand moved to the hilt of her sword. Apologizing in her heart to her
sister, her father, the attendant who was like a mother, and to Nozomu, she
tried to draw her blade.
"You're really...
hopeless."
At that moment, an
exasperated voice, strangely out of place, echoed. The raging storm ceased, and
a crimson breeze died down.
"Lisa...
you..."
Irisdina's fading vision
caught sight of the red-haired girl. When did she get here? Lisa Hounds was
leaning against the open door, staring at Irisdina.
"...Who are
you?"
"Ah, just a
classmate and love rival of that big idiot over there."
Vitora voiced her
puzzlement at the sudden intruder. Lisa, however, pointed at the suffering
Irisdina and walked into the room with light steps. Vitora's magic was still
raging, its force undiminished. Just being bathed in it was enough to make a
weak-willed person faint. Yet, Lisa's insolent attitude, even in the face of
such pressure, piqued Vitora's interest.
"Don't mind me.
Honestly, I have no intention of sticking my nose into the Francilt and Wajiart
family's problems."
"Hoh. Then why
are you here?"
"I just told you.
That woman is my love rival. But it still pisses me off to see her die. And if
she dies, he will blame himself. I can't really let that happen..."
Lisa walked to the
center of the room and stood before the crumpled Irisdina. Somia, who had been
desperately pouring magic into her sister, looked up at her in surprise.
"Lisa-san..."
"Don't worry
about it. I'm just repaying a debt."
With that, Lisa held
out her hand, just as Somia had, and began to pour her magic into Irisdina. The
spread of the black veins on Irisdina's body slowed even further.
"And you think
your level of magic will make a difference?"
"Of course not.
At best, I'm just buying time. Frankly, the chances are almost zero."
Even as she gave
Irisdina magic, Lisa didn't think for a moment she could stop Vitora's power.
Just being looked at by her... a fear welled up from her chest. She looked
human, but the pressure was like facing a natural disaster. And, even if it had
slowed, from Lisa's perspective, it was only a matter of time before Irisdina
turned. The black veins had already spread over her entire body. Soon, she
would lose her reason and become a monster.
"But... he's a
guy who keeps his promises."
Still, she had
something to believe in. Her childhood friend, who had kept his promise to the
end, even when his heart was broken.
BOOM!
The next moment, a
giant pillar of light appeared outside the window. A five-colored light, rising
to the heavens. An expression of power, on a completely different level, that
could be felt even from a distance. Vitora's eyes flew wide open, and then a
captivating, ghastly, beaming smile spread across her face.
"Rugato."
"Yes..."
At his master's call,
the old vampire butler nodded. He transformed his body into a swarm of bats,
shattered the window, and flew off toward the pillar of light. As the
high-pitched kii-kii of the bats
faded, Lisa looked down at Irisdina once more.
"Hey, pull
yourself together. If you lose to that woman, I'll put you out of your misery
myself."
The smile Lisa
directed at Irisdina was a provocative one. Hey,
what's wrong? Is this your limit? Her upturned lips and needling gaze
goaded her.
"And then, I'll tell
your ugly, ghoulish self: 'Too bad!
Nozomu is all mine now!'"
"Don't... you...
dare..."
At that ultimate
provocation, Irisdina's vision, which had been painted black, snapped clear.
Forgetting the pain racking her body, the white-haired girl roared at the
red-haired girl looking down on her.
"To you... to
you... I will never lose!"
"Then you'd
better fight, 'goody two-shoes'! If
you make Nozomu sad, I'll chase you to hell and kick your ass myself!"
The next moment, with
a thunderous roar, the wall of the guest hall was blown apart, and a shadow,
wreathed in rainbow light, burst in.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Gabriel Flores
Geral Aponso
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Good or Hype
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Didntpassit
nick nasca
SD Fox
rads
Xavier O'Donoghue
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
