Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: The Season Passes from Spring to Summer (4)
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Crash!! The cages holding small animals began pouring down one after another. Ronan's mouth fell open at the sight, as if the entire wall was collapsing.
"Grand General."
The words slipped out unbidden. It had been ages since he'd last seen that power. Though it was incomparably weaker than what he'd witnessed in his previous life, he recognized it at a glance as the same lineage of force. Supporting Adeshan, Ronan took in the research lab transforming into a zoo.
"Small animals are still the limit for now, huh."
-Chirp! Chirp chirp!
-Peeyooot!
The animals freed from their cages went berserk. Sparrows flew about, splattering droppings everywhere. Field mice that had formed packs slipped into the complex machinery. Mostly rodents and small birds, they weren't threatening, but they had more than enough power to create utter chaos.
Even amid the pandemonium, the cages continued falling. Jarodin, belatedly snapping to his senses, furrowed his brow.
"Damn it."
His expensive magic tools were breaking in real time. He snapped his fingers, and the stone floor rose up to block the wall. A groan escaped Adeshan, who had been hanging her head as if fainted.
"Nngh..."
"You okay?"
"Ronan? Ha...!"
Adeshan opened her eyes. Realizing she was practically leaning into him, she hastily straightened up.
"S-sorry. I must've been heavy...!"
"It's fine."
Ronan chuckled softly. It was a smile tinged with faint bitterness. Adeshan's all-too-human reaction pulled him back to reality once more.
He knew it. Awakening her ability didn't mean the Grand General's personality from back then would return. Adeshan looked around the lab and covered her mouth with both hands.
"Wh-what the hell happened here...?"
"Senior's handiwork. Let's kill him."
"I did this?"
"Just say 'come here.' It might be tough with thoughts alone still."
Perplexed by the cryptic words, Adeshan tilted her head. Ronan gestured toward the animals with his chin instead of answering. Finally, a voice full of doubt emerged from her lips.
"...Come here?"
In that instant, the anomaly occurred. The noisy lab fell silent in a flash. Then, the animals that had been rampaging or hiding in corners began slinking toward her one by one. Seeing the field mice gathering at her feet, Adeshan recoiled in horror.
"Wh-what?!"
The animals that had fallen from on high were mostly in poor shape. There was a canary walking on two legs with a broken wing, and a field mouse dying with glass shards embedded in its belly. Yet they approached Adeshan as if entranced. Ronan said,
"That's your power, senior."
"...Mouse gathering?"
"That's it for now. This time, tell them to go back to their cages."
The animals stood in perfect ranks, like soldiers in drill formation. Adeshan noticed the cloudy haze in their eyes. She opened her mouth again.
"Back to your cages."
Once more, the anomaly struck. The gathered animals sought out an intact cage from the scattered debris and crawled inside. Suddenly overcome by intense vertigo, Adeshan shook her head. The cloudiness vanished from the animals' eyes.
"Squeak?!"
"Tweet!"
Regaining their senses, the animals looked around bewildered. The moment they tried scattering again—Boom! A rocky dome enveloped them. Jarodin's voice came from behind.
"Well done."
"Professor...!"
Jarodin let out a sigh of relief. He'd nearly faced disaster. Extracting animals buried deep in the magic tools wouldn't have been easy.
He used earth magic to restore the chaotic lab. Dozens of rocky hands moved, gathering the debris. Adeshan shrugged her shoulders and asked,
"Wh-what happened to me? Ronan swung his sword, and suddenly I lost consciousness..."
She felt off. No trace of the mana that had once flowed through her body. Jarodin spoke.
"All the existing mana in your body is gone. No idea what happened exactly."
"What? That means..."
"Yeah. You've awakened shadow mana. Feel a lump-like thing settled in your chest?"
Adeshan nodded. Indeed, deep in her chest, something cool pulsed like a heartbeat. It felt alien, yet familiar—not strange at all. More intimate even than the mana she'd wielded her whole life.
"That's the power you'll cultivate from now on. A core made of shadow mana."
"A core...!"
"Right. Now you need to learn to wield that force instead of regular mana."
Adeshan's eyes widened. A core she'd failed to form despite all her efforts. Jarodin explained that shadow mana was still a type of mana, so everything possible with mana was feasible—manifesting blade auras, awakening aura, and so on.
"It'll take a lot of work. It's like starting from scratch."
Adeshan grasped his meaning instantly. Her current skill level didn't even reach sword user, having lost all her prior mana resources.
Mastering her new ability and shadow mana would require grueling, bone-grinding effort. She nodded.
"Doesn't matter."
"Good attitude."
Jarodin smiled. He could see why Naviroje favored her. Even after losing everything she'd built, her eyes sparkled with resolve. After a moment's silence, he continued.
"The problem is the ability your shadow mana holds. Far too dangerous."
"Right. So what exactly is my power?"
Adeshan asked anxiously. The small animals had clearly obeyed her commands. Their blind obedience despite the devastation was chilling.
"Need more research to know for sure. But it seems like mental domination, without a doubt."
"Mental domination?"
"Yes. Even Archmage Rorhon couldn't claim it. I thought it was mere fantasy, but it exists."
He explained his theories on her ability. Her face paled as she listened. Recalling his past life, Ronan twisted his lips.
'A power too great for anyone.'
Adeshan's ability imposed and imprinted her will on living beings. Far stronger than mere illusion magic or simple frenzy curses. Its power waned with more targets, grew stronger with fewer—its hallmark.
In his previous life, Grand General Adeshan had wielded it masterfully, crafting an undefeated legend. Applying it to tens or hundreds of thousands only boosted morale and ensured command compliance, yet that alone yielded terrifying efficiency.
With focus, she could shrink the range to form fanatical zealot squads blindly following her word. Ronan twisted his lips, remembering the final battle.
'A power that can turn endlessly cruel.'
Three lifetimes had worn Adeshan down. Ronan remembered soldiers charging Ahayute to buy time—their eyes dull, like beasts freshly dominated. Few acted from pure loyalty or volition.
Save for idiotic penal legion comrades or honor-bound knights. Most racing to death had eyes clouded like freshly enthralled beasts.
A complicated feeling welled up. Would this girl one day issue such orders? Jarodin, finishing his explanation, turned away.
"Go on ahead. I'll clean up."
"Sorry, Jarodin. For smashing your intact stuff."
Ronan scratched his head apologetically. The collapsed hexagonal pillars looked exorbitantly pricey at a glance. Indeed worth several mansions, but Jarodin shook his head nonchalantly.
"It's fine. I'll deduct it from the debt I owe you."
"Love the generosity."
"Might've hesitated if you'd broken the last one. Go."
The two turned to leave. Adeshan remembered the way, so they escaped the main building without issue. The sky remained clear, the air muggy.
They walked side by side down streets shimmering with heat haze. Cicadas echoed distantly. Glancing back, Adeshan bit her lip, lost in thought. Ronan didn't prod her.
'No wonder she's rattled.'
For her, it must've been a day like a decade. Awakening unprecedented power, losing all mana she'd built. Ronan shrugged. He felt a strange kinship. Adeshan was now a talented half-baked prodigy like him.
Then, robins chirping atop roadside trees caught his eye. Adeshan halted abruptly and raised her hand.
"Come here."
"Tweet tweet."
One robin flew to perch on her index finger. Its fluffy white form was utterly adorable. But Adeshan's expression wasn't bright. Seeing the bird's clouded eyes, she spoke.
"Ronan. You said eventually it'll work on people too, right?"
"Yeah. If you train hard."
"Does the world even need a power like this?"
Adeshan released the ability. The robin fled the instant its eyes cleared. Ronan said,
"You can use it well, senior."
"Scary. What if I abuse it without meaning to?"
"Could happen."
"I might become a monster. Manipulating people on a whim, crushing true hearts, starting fights on purpose to kill hordes..."
Adeshan trailed off. Normally she'd scheme for her own gain, but she was truly kind. Ronan stroked his chin and spoke.
"I'll stop you then."
"What if I try dominating you too?"
"I'll handle it somehow. Don't worry."
Ronan said flatly. Adeshan, staring at his profile, smiled faintly.
"Yeah, that reassures me."
Time flew after that. Nothing noteworthy happened. Amid early summer peace, Ronan and Adeshan devoted themselves to developing their powers.
Two weeks later. Ronan spotted Adeshan training under a tree and waved.
"Senior."
"Ah... Ronan."
"Oho, squirrels today."
"Yeah... I must've been crazy back then. How'd I control so many...!"
Adeshan issued commands to squirrels, sweat beading profusely. Ronan stifled a laugh at the five squirrels drilling in formation.
Mental domination drained immense mental energy, so steady training was key. She started with perfect control over small animals.
"Here, drink."
"Ah, thanks."
Ronan tossed her a water bottle and headed to the Nest's training ground. There lay the exhausted members sprawled like asphyxiated fish, with only Schlieffen fresh. He gazed down at Marya and Braum in bewilderment.
"Why can't you do this? Is swinging five thousand times a day that hard?"
"'Cause you're a freak. This is why the young ones these days suck."
Weapons in hand, they'd been doing basic sword drills. Even Ronan joined, prompting Marya to yell furiously.
"You lunatics! Not everyone's like you!"
"Wahaha... wahaha..."
Soul-less laughter leaked from long-exhausted Braum. Since Schlieffen joined, Martial Arts Club members followed his schedule. Naturally, none but Ronan could keep up.
Complaints erupted so much that one day they consulted Adeshan. Aghast at the timetable, she cried,
"Th-this training schedule won't work! What is this, imperial special forces?!"
"Something wrong?"
"Train to each person's level. You've been doing this the whole time?"
"Yes."
"...No good. Mind guiding us?"
Adeshan analyzed each member that day, club-hopping. Mana gone, her sharp insight remained.
Soon, members got personalized optimal regimens. Marya, under her guidance, asked eagerly,
"Senior, join our club?"
"Huh?"
"Please. That psycho's meek with you. Wait, what's your relationship?"
"Wh-what relationship? I don't know how to..."
Adeshan scratched her cheek hesitantly. Marya treated her with wary gratitude. The prejudice that men dislike tall women eased her mind, but their frequent pairing seemed honestly riskier than Ophelia.
"M-Marya..."
Asel suffered inexplicable pain whenever she acted so. No broken bones or bleeding, but his chest burned like seared by fire. Studying magic harder to soothe it didn't help. Anyway, that was the time.
Ophelia and Cita weren't idle either. After moonrise was their time. One night, Ophelia lured Ronan outside secretly, saying she'd taught Cita new magic.
"Rwaaah!"
Boom! Cita sprayed the blood mist from before, detonating it instantly. Perching triumphantly on the splintered tree stump, it roared victory. Ophelia grinned proudly.
"Taught her this... Mass slaughter specialized magic. Cool, right...?"
"What the hell are you teaching the kid."
Useful, though. Ronan chuckled. Peace lasted nearly two months. They focused on school and personal training, steadily growing stronger.
It was a day quintessential midsummer. In Arena 1, Ronan trained channeling mana into his sword bare-chested. His body had grown even more solid lately.
"Don't slack off gawking."
Naviroje warned the distracted female students and approached Ronan. In her hand was a rather luxurious letter. She said,
"Dawn Magic Tower's been restored."
"Hoo... Huh, what?"
Ronan wiped sweat roughly and turned. Naviroje informed him the tower, ruined by the explosion, had finished repairs and resumed admitting people. Ronan's lips curled up.
"Finally."
The place where Sarante said he'd find clues on what to do with Lamancha. Ronan withdrew the mana dwelling in Lamancha.
He pulled out his pocket watch. The timer for mana infusion showed two hours passed.
The season had passed from spring to summer. Redonning his shirt, Ronan stepped out of the arena. Looking up, the sky seemed higher. Beneath the deep blue, white cumulus clouds glided lazily.