CH 168

Ch. 168: The Bond and the Wizard

Alicia: “[To me, Wind] {Ventos}!”

With Alicia’s incantation, both Alicia and Igni’s body were pushed up into the sky above!

Igni: (.......what’s this?!)

At that moment, Igni saw something strange and wonderful.

In the atmosphere, he saw an invisible path flowing like a river.

Igni was looking at the path as he would when he observes Magic being manipulated.

Igni: “.......I see….so this is what Alicia sees…..”

She had always been able to see this path.

It was most likely the path the wind followed.

Following the path, Igni created a {Fireball}, aligned it to wind’s flow, and fired it at Fram with [Launch] {Fire}.

The {Fireball} accelerated with the wind, and as it quickly arched, it struck Fram in the ribs!

Igni: “........ha! So that’s how it works!”

More thick and condensed Magic pours into Igni’s body.

Igni: “Fram, do you have any last words?” Holding Alicia close to him and feeling Alicia hold him back, and they both stood in the air. The <Magic> that was looming over the Imperial Capital’s sky was no longer there.

Fram: “..........it’s my win.”

Igni: “Nope. You lost.”

As soon as Igni spoke, the {Fireball} that made up both his arms disappeared.

Yes, when he uses <Magic>, he cannot use any Spells.

Igni: “Since you told me about your <Magic>, I’ll explain mine to you.”

The Etiquette of Popularity number 4 ーー “Always be a gentleman.”

Igni: “My <Magic> is just a {Fireball}. But there’s a huge difference between yours and mine.”

Fram: “..........what?”

Alicia was holding Igni up desperately to keep him from falling.

Feeling her soft body and warmth, Igni thanked her silently as he prepared his absolute <Magic>.

Igni: “Hey, Fram. Do you know how this world began?” Fram: “.........God made it.”

Igni: “Yes, God made it by speaking one word, and with that word, a very, very small {Fireball} was created that was the beginning of this world.”

Fram: “.........and you’re saying that’s your <Magic>?”

Igni: “My <Magic> gives birth to a [Small Universe] {Fireball} with just one ruleーー”

And the [Miracle of Beginnings] {Big Bang} was initiated.

Igni: “ーー<I am absolute>.”

In that moment, Igni’s <Magic> expanded to swallow up Fram and time completely stopped.

To be accurate, Igni had slowed his world’s time to as close to zero as possible, and from their relative perspective, time seemed to have stopped.

Igni: “............fwew…….”

Igni blew out a long breath, and leaned into Alicia’s arms.

Alicia: “.........good work, Igni.”

Igni: “Thank you, Alicia.”

Alicia: “Do we want to go back to the ground?” Igni: “Yeah…..let’s…….” Feeling his Magic reserves exhausted, Igni’s consciousness began to dull as Alicia lent him a shoulder.

Thick, condensed Magic continued to pour into Igni, but the amount seemed to be slightly less than usual.

No matter how bottomless her Magic reserves seemed to be, he had used <Magic> 3 times consecutively.

Igni was certain that it had made a dent to Sara’s reserves.

Igni: “Actually, could we stay like this for a bit longer?”

Alicia: “........yes, of course.” The hero who had saved the Empire let himself be held by the Imperial Princess there.

With abundant, bountiful, overflowing love, the Imperial Princess welcomed the hero in her arms.

<<<<>>>>

“.........you. You must be the [Un-Death] Celia.”

Celia: “And who might you be?” In the quiet wilderness, they stood.’

Having hunted down every last one of the vampires, Celia, who was on her way back to the Empire, faced off with a young man with black hair with obvious murderous intent pointed in her direction.

“...........Soul. The “Silent Killer” Soul.”

Celia: “A [Transgressor], huh.”

The young man with black hair only had to stall for enough time for Fram to bring down the Imperial Capital.

In other words, he had to stall Celia’s return.

<knock>

By the time a small, distinct noise sounded, Soul had already beheaded Celia.

Soul: “.........I can moveーー”

Celia: “ーーfaster than sound, hence “Silent Killer, right?”

The detached head spoke with a growing malicious smile, and light enveloped Celia in that instant as she regenerated.

She stood there as though nothing had happened to her.

Soul: “........so that’s the infamous 'Miracle of Undeath', huh?” Celia: “Of course. Now then, let me ask you a question. Will you ‘surrender’ or ‘die’?”

Soul: “Oh? But it’s you who will be lying on the ground.”

Soul disappeared once more.

And a moment later, Celia heard the sound of Soul kicking the ground.

No matter how much you train your body, no matter how much you train your 5 sensesーー

Sound carries at its own speed.

Then the answer is simple. You just have to be faster.

That way, no one will be able to sense you coming. You can easily wipe out enemies.

Celia: “What a frivolous sword.”

But Soul did not feel the sensation of beheading Celia.

Instead, Celia faced him with glaring fangs showing as she held his sword in her hand.

Celia: “[Physical Enhancement] {Active}.”

Soul screamed out his incantation.

<BAM!!> (*sfx)

His muscles bulged greatly as he achieved a strength greater than any human being can achieve.

Celia: “Weak.” But the blade remained motionless inside Celia’s hand, and Soul released the handle.

Soul: “.........sh!” (*sfx exhale)

Celia: “.....fu!” (*sfx exhale)

Soul twisted his body to send a kick at Celia as she raised her left arm.

Before Soul’s foot reached, Celia’s blow overtook him, and as if to skid on water, his body flew away and bounced off the ground several times before coming to a halt.

Celia: “Did you know, [Transgressor]?”

Celia readied her sword.

Celia: “The slice of a blade can <fly>.”

<H—-iiiiiiiinnnn!!> (*sfx something cutting through the air)

With a high pitch ringing, Celia swung her blade downwards, and Soul, who was a few hundred meters away, was separated from his legs.

Celia: “It’s much simpler once you cut off the legs of a quick steed.”

Soul: “.........UGH!! {Heal}!!”

Soul cast Healing Magic onto himself to restore his body.

But before he was finished, Celia held him up by his hair.

Celia: “Now then, what was your goal? If you don’t say anything, I’ll kill you. If you tell me, I will let you live.”

Soul: “[Resurrect]!”

With Soul’s incantation, the ground suddenly burst with a skeleton’s arm that immediately grasped Celia’s foot.

Celia: “Oh?” As soon as Celia’s attention was on the skeleton, Soul’s body was grabbed and pulled away from Celia.

Soul: “HAHAHA! You’re not the only scum playing around with human lives!!”

Celia: “........I see. So you are also a [Life] Type. And our <Magic> is similar as well.”

Of course, there are some clear differences between them, but Soul was a Magician who wielded a sword.

But Celia felt no sympathy towards a [Transgressor].

In the time Celia took one breath, the quiet wilderness was now flooded with skeletons holding swords, bows, and spears.

Celia: “This is supposed to stall me?” Soul: “They are all veteran warriors from the past! Even after death, their skills are the same as when they were alive!”

As Soul was being pulled away by skeletons, he confidently relayed that fact as if he had delivered a finishing blow.

Celia only chuckled in return.

Celia: “I see. Then let me show you.” The atmosphere wrenched and twisted around Celia as [Human Stagnation] swirled around her.

As if to absorb the thick, heavy, and dense power, Celia’s body began glowing with Curse Inscriptions.

Celia: “In the Beast Race, they use a Curse that raises their physical abilities by using their own life as fuel.”

A skeleton swung their sword at Celia.

Celia: “To be honest, those Beast Race warriors gave me a tough time. They had no hesitation in throwing their lives away.”

Another skeleton thrust their spear at Celia.

Celia: “Life ー is the ultimate fuel. Especially with Curses.”

Another skeleton fired an arrow at Celia.

Celia: “That’s why this Curse <is incredibly strong>.”

A swing of the blade cut across the air.

Celia’s sword flashed for a second, and <all of the skeletons in front of her> were blasted away.

Celia: “And besides that, I cannot die.”

A hungry, vicious smile came over Celia as she spoke.

That was the moment Soul realized from the bottom of his heart that he had picked a fight with the wrong enemy.