Ch 105
Gaderok fiddled with the Black Fire Eye hanging from their ear.
It wasn’t, as usual, to send a signal or warning to the opponent.
‘What the hell is this?! What is it!!!’
He was barely suppressing the urge to rip the earring from his ear.
A gold bracelet that converts the wearer’s life force into magical power.
The “Golden Blood Vessel,” which Gaderok obtained at the cost of a large part of their life, was their trump card, their final resort.
Having used the Golden Blood Vessel, they absolutely had to achieve their goal.
Expanding and maintaining their influence, that is.
And, that goal was now within reach.
They felt the audience succumbing to fear of them, as intended.
But-
This earring ruined everything.
This isn’t the first time.
Come to think of it, it’s always been like this.
Even when the fire that burned Brimfort suddenly went out.
Even when Dejong’s escort was suddenly engulfed in flames.
Whenever things were going smoothly, an unexpected event would inevitably occur, ruining everything.
So that the situation would favor ‘him’.
And now.
That tendency had reached its peak.
“Damn it, what do I do…? Should I help Master Gaderok━”
“Don’t talk nonsense about Master Gaderok, you bastard! Didn’t you hear that demonic voice just now?! Gaderok, that guy is a Black Mage! If you stay under him, you’ll become a sacrifice to the demon!”
“M-maybe he’s controlling us with the power of Black Magic!”
It was a conversation among Gaderok’s subordinates.
Their fear of their leader no longer evoked awe or loyalty. It was pure fear.
They could understand criminals pursuing objective goals like offerings and power,
but they couldn’t understand a Black Mage who served a demon.
Gaderok could clearly feel it.
That everything was over.
No matter how this matter ended, their influence would be completely destroyed.
The original Gaderok would have lost their reason to anger at that fact.
But the current Gaderok was different.
“Listen!!!”
Because he was already in a state where his reason was paralyzed by anger.
Only one thought was in his head now.
Killing the ‘guy’ who had driven the situation to this point.
Therefore, Gaderok even welcomed the current situation where the audience feared them as a Black Mage.
As long as they believed them to be a Black Mage, they would choose to avoid them rather than rashly become hostile.
“My only purpose now!!! Is to kill that Deputy Council Member! I swear on my magic! I will gladly stake my life and even my soul, and I will surely kill him!!! Even if I fail while alive, I will achieve it as a wraith!!! Those unrelated, disappear now!!!”
Gaderok shouted fiercely with bloodshot eyes.
There, they unleashed their energy, which had reached Rank 7, with full power.
As it was a product of temporary and unstable power, the energy was extremely unstable.
-Clang clang
The unrefined energy shook the entire place.
The table shook and the windows rattled.
It was a performance more than sufficient to stimulate fear of the Black Mage.
“H-huff…!”
“A-a demon!!!”
Those who were too low in realm to withstand the energy of a Rank 7 mage—mere criminals—turned pale and fled without looking back.
Thus, out of the dozens of Gaderok and Dejong’s subordinates, only five remained.
“…”
They too, openly showed their discomfort and slowly backed away.
“Wise choice, you worm bastards!”
A cold air in the shape of fire surged up, freezing the round table where the bosses were seated.
Gaderok let out a maniacal laugh and slammed the table.
The ice table shattered, scattering fragments around.
“Step back!”
“It’s dangerous!”
The escorts standing behind them quickly stepped forward to protect the bosses.
“Master Lisir!”
Dogal, who had also stepped forward, stopped awkwardly.
Because the ice fragments hadn’t hit him.
The meaning behind Gaderok’s actions was clear.
Everyone except Lisir was to retreat.
“Saint, over here…!”
“Let’s retreat for now!”
“Master Brimfort!”
The escorts hastily led the bosses back. They left the living room and evacuated to the hallway.
Thus, only Gaderok and Lisir remained in the vast living room.
✦✦✦
Rok, a warrior of the Golden Barley Trading Company.
He was currently escorting the Saint who had attended a back alley meeting at the urgent request of the Trading Company’s Miss Karia.
“Let’s go.”
He urged the Saint anxiously.
“He’s serious. A Black Mage who doesn’t fear death. If you get involved, you’ll definitely end up in a bad situation. It’s best to retreat from here for now.”
Everyone nearby agreed with Rok’s words.
The bosses and their escorts.
Even Gaderok and Dejong’s subordinates.
“…No.”
Nevertheless, the Saint shook their head.
From beneath the iron mask, their unique androgynous and mysterious voice flowed out.
“I will stay and help him.”
Then, she looked at her master standing beside her.
Then her master also nodded.
“I will also stay here and help him.”
“No━”
Rok clutched his forehead.
He was, after all, a warrior of Golden Barley. Even if the Saint, an outsider to the Trading Company, were to foolishly get entangled with a Black Mage and die a horrible death, it was none of his concern.
But, what about Miss Karia, who was completely infatuated with him?
‘She’ll try to kill me, or if that doesn’t work, she’ll hang herself…!’
The escort warrior shuddered in frustration as he recalled the young woman’s state.
Then the master spoke.
“If we survive here by abandoning the Deputy Council Member, that will be a problem in itself.”
“You mean we should attack that Black Mage!?”
“Yes. If we all combine our strength, it will be possible.”
“Right! It might be possible. But━”
Rok turned his gaze to the living room.
There, a confrontation between Gaderok and the Deputy Council Member was underway.
Gaderok was wary of the Deputy Council Member’s hidden power and those who hadn’t completely left the place, and wasn’t making any moves.
However, the energy, the aura, the magical power emanating as a threat.
Rok was certain.
“Didn’t you hear what that guy said just now? That guy is in a state where he doesn’t care about anything anymore!? If that guy decides to attack, the Deputy Council Member will die! In the process, it’s nothing to take one or two more of us!”
“…”
“…”
The Saint and the master.
No, Rona and Pien showed their reluctance from within their masks.
The two had already noticed.
Gaderok. The fact that he wasn’t actually a Black Mage.
If he really were a Black Mage, he would have lost all his power the moment he confronted Lisir.
Their anguish stemmed from this.
‘A Rank 7 mage…’
The two understood some of the nature of Lisir’s power.
That mysterious power acts absolutely against heterodox and evil powers.
But against pure power?
Lisir, confronting Gaderok, was merely a pure mage.
The two recalled their last meeting with Lisir, his realm.
The last time they met, he was a Rank 5 mage.
Of course!
If he’s that unbelievable man, he might have committed the atrocity of reaching Rank 6 in that short period.
Nevertheless, it’s insufficient to overcome the current situation.
‘So-‘
The two thought.
While Lisir was in the Magic Tower, they had accumulated countless experiences outside.
Treacherous and tremendous experiences incomparable to life in the Magic Tower.
Based on that experience, Lisir had achieved unimaginable growth.
‘I have to protect him.’
The two’s eyes were filled with determination.
To that extent, the anguish they felt deepened.
Rok’s point was valid.
Certainly, if everyone combined their strength, they could subdue Gaderok.
However, casualties would inevitably occur in the process.
Would Lisir, whose realm is at best the beginning of Rank 6, be able to protect himself from the attacks of a Rank 7 mage who doesn’t fear death?
‘Please…!’
The two rapidly rotated their thoughts.
Now, while Gaderok was unable to act rashly due to his wariness of Lisir’s unknown power, was the last chance to save Lisir.
If they missed this opportunity-
“…!”
At that moment, Rona and Pien both gasped.
So did the others, including Rok.
Lisir.
He had preemptively attacked Gaderok in the confrontation.
He fired a magical projectile at Gaderok.
Truly refined mana control. However, it dissipated and disappeared with a careless gesture from Gaderok.
The difference in their magical power was stark.
At that sight, Rok, the escort warrior, lamented inwardly.
‘Oh dear. If he attacks first in this situation━ Was he a youngster mage who didn’t know anything.’
Two thoughts Rok had previously held became more firm.
The thought that they absolutely had to avoid a battle with Gaderok.
‘That guy, he’s more of a monster than I thought-’
The mana barrier that enveloped Gaderok’s body the moment he parried the attack.
Rok could vaguely gauge the strength of that barrier.
‘Is he wary of the Deputy Council Member’s hidden power-’
Gaderok was excited as if he didn’t fear death, but at the same time, he was rational enough to willingly accept death.
The Trading Company’s escort warrior couldn’t find even a slight opening in him.
Then.
A commotion arose again in the living room.
The Deputy Council Member, tirelessly, attacked Gaderok again.
Even in the same way as before.
‘It’s over-’
Rok sighed, watching the Saint.
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed unlikely that the Deputy Council Member would escape alive from here.
He began to look for a way to escape appropriately.
✦✦✦
-What are you doing!
Klana, who was watching the situation from the Inner World, cried out in horror at Lisir’s actions.
-He has now, however unstably, surpassed the wall of Rank 7! You are not an opponent that you can handle with an orthodox method! You have to escape from here somehow!
Lisir inwardly nodded at Klana’s words.
Gaderok’s energy and power felt on his skin from the front.
The person who felt most keenly that he couldn’t defeat Gaderok head-on was himself.
But why-
Even though he understood it clearly with reason, he was acting against that reason.
‘It’s possible.’
It was because of the instinct’s cry.
‘Look at his current state.’
Gaderok was wary of Lisir’s hidden power.
He was wary of the figures in the hallway who hadn’t completely retreated.
That state of being wary of all risk factors seemed thorough, without even a slight opening.
‘No.’
However.
Gaderok’s state, as reflected in Lisir’s eyes, was quite different.
‘That’s not solid. It’s flimsy. He’s overlooking what he should really be wary of, and he’s distracted.’
Lisir felt the weight of the Blue Lotus hanging from his waist.
‘He firmly believes me to be a mage. Just once. He will be completely defenseless against my attack as a swordsman.’
Lisir’s gaze swept over the mana barrier enveloping Gaderok’s body.
‘With my magic now, I can absolutely not break through that.’
Lisir, who had accumulated countless experiences in actual combat between mages through sparring matches with Melthas.
He knew how difficult it was to break through a mage’s mana barrier.
Even at an equal level, it was extremely difficult to destroy a mana barrier in one go.
But, now that he had just entered the late Rank 6-
Could he destroy Gaderok’s mana barrier, which had surpassed the wall of Rank 7?
And in one strike?
Impossible.
Reason strongly asserted.
‘It’s quite possible.’
And, as always, instinct made the opposite claim.
Instinct and sensation joined hands, leading Lisir and directing his next action.
In the process, everything Lisir possessed was drawn out.
They were experiences completely unrelated to magic.
The experience of swinging his sword until his body was exhausted in the Vendel training grounds.
The experience of lulling a Vendel apprentice knight into complacency and then striking a vital point.
The experience of following the path she walked while receiving the teachings of the murderer.
It was a strange sensation.
Lisir felt that sensation as if ‘the command key had appeared’.
Although the movements and actions were his first, how to do it was clearly depicted in his mind.
Lisir crouched slightly.
As before, when he fired the mana projectile.
“That again!!! Yes, you will hide your power to the end!? Then, let’s see! How great is your power that you hide it so carefully! Can that Black Fire save you again this time!!!”
Lisir didn’t interrupt Gaderok.
He drew out his wariness and fighting spirit to the maximum.
Wariness and fighting spirit towards a mage, that is.
✦✦✦
『Trait activated』
『Trait: Dancing Steel （S）』
✦✦✦
It was clearly visible in Lisir’s eyes.
The opening in Gaderok. The gap widened to the maximum.
The depth of breath. The blink of an eye.
It was a momentary state that could easily change even with that small difference.
Lisir’s senses did not miss that fleeting moment.
His crouched body sprang slightly.
As before, when he swung his arm to fire the mana projectile.
“Ha!”
That was the sight reflected in Gaderok’s eyes as he burst into laughter.
The Deputy Council Member firing a mana projectile.
Thus, that cunning movement thoroughly deceived and mocked the opponent.
Lisir’s body reproduced the murderer’s movement.
He was already gone where Gaderok’s gaze was directed.
His body, sliding forward, led by his forward foot.
In his hand was a blade that had already come out of its scabbard━ the Blue Lotus.
The sword had already been swung.
The time to deceive the opponent’s consciousness was not long, and the distance that could be moved during that short time was not long either.
It was perfectly reasonable for a strike performed during that short deception to not reach the enemy.
However, the murderer found a way to overcome that reasonableness and perform the injustice.
The gap meticulously adjusted by the deceptive movement.
What filled that slightly insufficient distance was none other than the energy that had taken form.
The blade of the sword Lisir held was subtly elongated.
That sharply honed energy was Sword Qi.
It was a skill permitted only to swordsmen who had reached the superhuman realm.
“Huff…!”
Gaderok clutched his throat.
If he had noticed the strike and concentrated the mana barrier on the area of attack, that first and last strike might have been thwarted.
However, the mage’s consciousness could not catch up with the movement that had mocked even the Sword Masters.
Gaderok’s throat was slit.
Blood and breath began to leak from the gap.
The murderer’s strike that reduced the target to a mere powerless prey.
Klana Style, Breath Stealing, was unleashed.
Lisir.
The strike he unleashed briefly touched the realm of a Sword Master.
“Now!!! I’m going to fall now, so please take care of the rest!!!”
Lisir, who had poured everything into the strike, spat out blood and collapsed.
“…”
Despite Lisir’s earnest request, those in the hallway did not readily act.
They were simply dumbfounded, watching the scene unfold before their eyes.
Fortunately, that brief delay did not lead to a disaster.
“Cough-…!”
Lisir’s strike was deeper than he thought.
Gaderok, who had clutched his throat.
He collapsed to the ground, unable to support his body.
And then.
The Saint and the master looked at Lisir and murmured as if they had remembered something.
“Ah, that’s right…”
✦✦✦
The back alley collapsed.
The exploits of a certain man during that process began to spread quietly throughout Bondales.
✦✦✦
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- How to Know If You’re Cringing Your Classmate: A Guide to Social Survival
- Lost in Translation: When Your Brain Goes on a Tangent While Reading Light Novels
- Gojo Satoru the Ultimate Husbando?! Is This a Thing?
- Chaoyang Masses: The Spy Games Your Aunts and Uncles Play
- My Therapist Told Me to Stop Saying “Back In My Day” – Unrelatable TikTok Kids got me STRESSED
Leave a Reply