NOVEL NEXT Chapter 56
Selina focused on the door, sensing the magical power.
The barrier had been breached by an outsider.
She hoped it was Charlotte and her party, but the blatant hostility felt in the barrier’s destruction implied otherwise.
Rising from her chair, Selina headed towards the room where the children were.
As she opened the door, bright, sparkling eyes gathered around her.
“Hey, kiddos. Can everyone keep quiet? Auntie needs to read without being disturbed.”
“Why?”
“I’m playing with Elling! I want to keep playing!”
“If you stay quiet, I’ll bake you cookies. Just be good until then.”
“Okay, okay!”
“Gah!”
The children exaggeratedly covered their mouths.
Their puffy cheeks made them look incredibly cute.
“No matter what happens outside, don’t come out and stay quiet. It’s a must. If even one of you ignores me, there will be no cookies. Understand?”
The kids clamped their mouths shut and nodded multiple times.
With a smile, Selina closed the door behind her.
The breach meant that her opponent was at least a higher-level magician than Selina.
Taking a deep breath, Selina opened her eyes wide.
Whoa!
Various magic circles floated behind her.
Before the door that would soon open, a pitch-black magic circle spread across the floor.
An 8-circle sealing circle that binds everything it touches.
It was her maximum high-circle magic that she could mobilize.
Bang─!
In an instant, the sealing circle shattered like broken glass.
Soon, cracks appeared on all the magic circles, and magical energy scattered into the air.
As I witnessed this change, a sense of powerlessness crept up my spine.
Reverse magic can only work when there is a vast gap between both parties.
The pinnacle of inefficient magic that a magic tower master can use against an apprentice.
How could such reverse magic be used so easily against me?
Squeak.
The door opened, and the sound of rusty hinges echoed.
Whoosh!
As soon as her foot stepped in, the change was rushing towards Selina.
Just as she reflexively attempted to cast her spell—
Bang─!
Before the magic circle could even be formed, her spell structure was disrupted.
Through her rapidly changing vision, she saw an old man adjusting his beard.
A magician capable of reverse magic without even a single gesture, just a gaze.
In that moment, Selina recognized the old man’s identity.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
The tip of the sword pierced through Selina’s nape.
By then, the shield magic had already been reversed against her by the Arch Sage.
Creeeek. As the old man twisted the hilt of his sword, a scream escaped Selina’s lips.
The old man pressed against her, covering her mouth with his body. Selina, who had been pushed back without resistance, collided with the wall.
“At this point, why don’t you search the room thoroughly?”
“Yes.”
Withdrawing his sword, the old man splattered blood. Thud, blood sprayed onto Selina’s face.
Selina’s eyes instinctively shut as her vision darkened with blood.
“Ah, it seems the witch is true.”
“…What do you want?”
Selina glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
“How annoying. What else could there be when dealing with a witch besides burning at the stake?”
Gag, Selina coughed up a handful of blood.
Reeking of blood, she struggled to speak.
“Sir, we just wanted to hide away. We won’t even set foot in the Empire again.”
“Hmm.”
“We desire peace just like you do. So, just this once… could you spare me just once?”
“Begging for your life, huh? You might as well spew a curse. Like a witch should.”
Aaaah!
A scream erupted from the room, piercing the air.
Selina wanted to rush in, but all she could do was stand there, frozen in place, unable to move a single step.
An intangible magical power had bound her, rendering her unable to shift.
“Astoria.”
“Yes!”
“Bind their ankles to prevent any escape. The witches must be burned all at once. If we do it separately, the curses could attach.”
Click, click. The Arch Sage clicked his tongue and laughed.
Selina’s face was reflected in his gaze, filled with despair.
“I don’t know if you know this, but this old man has burned thousands of witches.”
“Ah, please… at least spare the children…”
“I’ll stamp them out when they’re still sprouts. Prepare to meet your kind. I’ll have a little fun with fire once again.”
***
As I returned, I worried whether the Wave of Monsters from Melzi would come crashing down on us.
After leaving the grave of the ancient dragon and walking a short distance, those worries began to melt away like snow.
“Ugh, the smell…”
“How flamboyant.”
In my line of sight, the only obstacle was a birch tree, so the scene ahead popped into view.
It was a horrific sight filled with thousands of monster corpses and ash.
As I passed the corpses up close, I noticed some had levels too.
Though most were in a state of nearly being mashed, there were still some survivors.
Unwrapping the bandages, the Holy Sword darted across, severing the monsters’ life forces.
There were so many that the remnants were still quite numerous.
‘Free farming, sweet!’
Having spent my time deep underground, I hadn’t noticed this.
Typically, a monster wave scenario involves organizing an expedition, or if the monster numbers are overwhelming, besieging it from behind a wall.
For a catastrophe of this size, a siege would be the answer, so I wondered why we went on an expedition.
Seeing no human bodies only deepened my confusion.
Of course, they might have recovered the bodies, so I asked Isabella if there was any human blood.
“Um… it looks like there’s no human blood at all. It’s all beast or beastman blood.”
Not a single casualty, victorious? How is that even possible?
“This is the work of a magician. But if the residual magic is the same…”
Charlotte’s words sparked an idea in my mind.
Residual magic being the same means it was done by just one person.
Just looking at the monster corpses, there were no signs of being pierced by weaponry or arrows.
It’s hard to believe that the situation points to it being the work of just one person.
‘Then that means they must be at least level 90.’
An act only a near-boss of the Infinite Abyss could manage to pull off.
Of course, they wouldn’t be a boss of the Infinite Abyss but a magician comparable to one.
‘The Arch Sage?’
Right now, there’s only the Arch Sage that could classify as a near-boss of the Infinite Abyss from mankind’s side.
But this, too, wasn’t a clear answer.
The Arch Sage was a special being who left the mundane world to wander.
He only shows up when he senses the timing of humanity’s extinction approaching.
If I were to ask whether the Wave of Monsters represented that level of crisis, the answer would be no.
‘Hmm. Maybe it really is the Arch Sage.’
If a player wants to draw the Arch Sage into the game, they need to become an ally first.
I leaned towards the theory that the Arch Sage came with precisely that position.
To unify humanity, he would serve as a focal point.
Then what calamity would compel the Arch Sage to move?
The most likely candidate is Calandas.
Perhaps the Empire noticed Calandas’s movements.
‘It can’t be me.’
No matter how much the Infinite Abyss has been talked about lately, I’m still only ranked 7th.
It would only make sense to be wary of a higher-ranked Infinite Abyss.
Currently, the Empire has lost two heroes and the Holy Sword as well.
Yet I believe that as long as Cecilia and the Arch Sage are around, we can somehow hold them off.
If things got dire, I would step in, but that would only be as a last resort.
Would an Infinite Abyss boss kill another Infinite Abyss boss to protect the Empire?
It was clear that I would be branded a traitor and executed for it.
“Uh? It’s open?”
At that, my gaze followed Isabella’s eyes.
…What’s going on?
The hut, which should have been hidden behind a barrier, was now laying bare in front of us.
“Are they welcoming us?”
“There’s no way.”
Charlotte echoed my thoughts.
There’s no way that those who had planned to hide would willingly drop their barrier.
Even the door had been left open after the barrier.
A foreboding feeling washed over me.
And it turned out my foreboding was largely right.
‘Could it be the Arch Sage?’
Specifically, the Arch Sage, who stood at the pinnacle of magic.
If he was involved, he could penetrate the barrier with ease and had malicious intent towards the witches.
All circumstances led to a solid conclusion, and soon people began to emerge from inside the house.
[Lv. 91]
[Lv. 83]
The Arch Sage and the Astoria estate lord.
It was obvious they were dragging the witches out with them.
There was a trail of blood following their path, but thankfully, they were still alive.
Unintentionally, my gaze shifted to Charlotte.
She too seemed to be looking at me, our eyes meeting.
“Boss.”
A sharp emotion lurked within the calm.
Charlotte was holding back the urge to jump in and waiting for my command.
For a moment I admired her loyalty, but taking in the situation left me lost in thought about what to do.
“That fellow is the Empire’s Arch Sage.”
“…Indeed.”
“Ah, no wonder I thought so…”
These two were aware of the Arch Sage’s fierce reputation, which could be compared to the Infinite Abyss.
The tension was palpable just from seeing their faces.
Facing the Arch Sage and the lord with the current level of our forces would be utterly insufficient.
If I jumped in to save the witches, it could very well be a suicide mission.
Even if we managed to win, one of us three would surely die.
Was there enough value in sacrificing my life for witches I met today?
Without a doubt, no, but the witch of ash was none other than Charlotte’s aunt.
With determination, I chose action over words.
The Holy Sword launched through the air, shooting towards the lord.
Clang!
As the sound of swords clashing echoed, their attention snapped to me.
Blood had already pooled around Isabella, and Charlotte had completed her casting.
They too released their grips on the witches, taking a defensive stance.
Holding my gaze steady on them, I pretended to be calm as I moved forward.
“Anti-Magic Dragon Scale.”
As I murmured, blue scales sprouted from my armor.
Of course, merely this would not be sufficient to confront the Arch Sage.
With the level gap being so immense, it was only natural that there was no way to jar him.
The anti-magic dragon scale was merely a temporary measure.
The same went for other spells.
No matter how they were combined, they would be useless against the Arch Sage.
Even from a distance, through to the present, the Arch Sage’s gaze remained fixed only on me.
I deliberately shifted my focus toward both the Arch Sage and the lord, precisely to their orange levels.
If they were wary of me, a peaceful resolution could be achievable through my actions.
Suddenly, numerous magic circles materialized around the Arch Sage.
For now, they appeared to be preparations, showing intent, so I had no reason to panic.
I kept a safe distance, knowing that getting closer would only make the magician feel threatened.
Thus, the current spacing was just right.
The Arch Sage chuckled at me.
“Indeed, it seems the Holy Sword is genuine. A Death Knight wielding the Holy Sword. Are you, by any chance, a monster of the Infinite Abyss?”
Before I could respond, he lifted his chin.
Since he knew who I was, it was essential to carry himself with a superior gaze.
Glancing at Selina sprawled on the floor, she too looked up at me with misty eyes.
No matter how one interpreted it, her gaze was pleading for mercy.
“These women are my acquaintances. While I would love to kill all of you, I shall show mercy. Run away when I spare your lives.”
I intended to brush it off with bravado, just as he had.
In fact, risking confrontation was what I was aiming for.
Please, go easy with words. I’m feeling pretty freaked out too.
“That would surely be the way to live.”
The Arch Sage nodded in agreement.
They too would likely flee if they valued their lives.
“However, this old man has little time left. Before I die, I intended to assault the shrine of the faith. What a fortunate opportunity for an old man, wouldn’t you agree?”
“…”
What the old man meant was that he planned to die together with me.
The unexpected answer left my mind spinning in disbelief.
It was an utterly insane notion.
‘This old man, has he lost his mind?’
There were no other plans.
From the beginning, would he have prepared a plan B for something that came up suddenly?
This was my best impromptu response to the bravado he attempted to show.
Creeeak─
The magic circles began to interlock like gears.
That magic could pose a threat to both Charlotte and Isabella.
As it shot out, it would undoubtedly turn to ashes.
“Grab your sword, monster of the Infinite Abyss. I will kill you and reclaim the Holy Sword.”
At this point, fleeing was too late.
Fighting with everything I had left was my only option, the odds of survival seemed grim.
Seeing Charlotte had completed her casting, I pulled the vial of mana blessing from my pocket.
Since it was the potion given by Great King Daron, it would greatly assist her.
I was about to throw it to Charlotte, but a sudden thought redirected my toss.
Whoa!
The potion bottle froze in the air through telekinesis.
This time it was aimed at the Arch Sage’s very eyes, who tilted his head in confusion at the bottle.
His eyes, capable of seeing through magic, artifacts, and magical potions, scrutinized everything related to mana.
If it were anyone, the Arch Sage would recognize the mana blessing.
“What is this?”
Curiosity filled his two eyes as he looked at me.
On the verge of attack, he wondered why I would offer this precious potion. His true thoughts were evident.
“I’ve seen countless monster corpses on the way here. This must have been your doing. If I’m right, drink the potion.”
“…What do you want from me?”
“There’s nothing more shameful than fighting an enemy in a weakened state. If you dare approach, then come at us with full health.”
“…”
“I’m curious to see if you can truly be my equal.”
The Arch Sage gazed earnestly at the potion bottle.
It seemed he was judging its authenticity with his extraordinary sight.
If he confirmed the mana blessing to be pure, there was no reason not to drink it.
After a brief pause, the Arch Sage grasped the potion bottle in his hand.
‘Oh, here we go.’
Pop! He uncorked it and gulped it down.
Ultimately, as the mana blessing flowed through him, the Arch Sage’s level shifted.
[Lv. 92]
The current Arch Sage could stand toe-to-toe with the bosses of the Infinite Abyss by himself.
“Monster of the Infinite Abyss. You have chosen a regretful path.”
The Arch Sage sneered, his taunts tinged with metallic echoes.
Whoosh─!
From his feet, a dazzling magic circle erupted.
It expanded rapidly, soon encompassing several kilometers.
9-circle all-elemental combination magic—Cataclysm.
It was his ultimate technique, and at the same time, the peak of what humans could achieve.
[Mana Blessing (S+)]
[Enhancement Probability: 2%]
[※Warning! If the enhancement fails, it will be automatically destroyed!]
[If the enhancement fails, the cooldown will reset.]
[Will you enhance Mana Blessing (S+)?]
[YES/NO]
I withdrew the sword I had raised.
“It was a pointless expectation.”
“What?”
“It’s a pitiful sight. I was hoping for an equal.”
“Cough! You’ve lost your mind! A soon-to-be dead man acts all tough─”
Boom─!
The Arch Sage vanished. No, it would be fairer to say he exploded.
Blood and flesh scattered everywhere.
In the silence, I sheathed my sword and scanned the surroundings.
The witches expressed their shock in their own manners, their levels rapidly blackening.
The stunned lord was no exception.
Both Isabella and Charlotte gaped in disbelief.
“This is why I said it’s a pitiful sight.”
Thank you, God.
I’ll be sure to pray a lot from now on.